Frozen: Playing with Fire
by code-t254139
Summary: A year has passed since Elsa was crowned queen of Arendelle. Her relationship with her sister could not be closer, she has learned to control the magic inside her, and she has turned her life around. She wonders if she will ever find anyone else with powers, until one day she meets her. Little did the queen know what she was getting into. (ElsaXfOC, F/F, Femslash)
1. Chapter 1 - Queen of Arendelle

It was the first day of summer in Arendelle, exactly a year ago since her coronation last summer. The season was exceptionally good this year, and the kingdom would be able to do much trade with the neighboring kingdoms. Despite giving up the kingdom of Weselton as their primary trader, they ended up prospering even more. She and Anna would joke between them both about the Duke of Weselton, specifically how Elsa made Anna dance with him. It was hardly dancing as the Duke pranced around Anna in the ballroom, with other people watching. To say he was a bit eccentric was an understatement.

She chuckled to herself about the funny memory she and her sister shared together. She and Anna grew much closer after her coronation, after releasing Arendelle's curse of eternal winter. To say those few days were chaos was an understatement. Ultimately it was her sister's sacrifice for her, which saved her life and Arendelle. It also changed her life. In the past year, she and Anna made up for all the times lost as siblings, when they were not able to be with each other.

Last winter on Christmas Eve, Anna's boyfriend Kristoff proposed to her. And of course, she excitedly said yes to him. After Anna's prior false engagement to Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, she was determined to date at least for half a year before getting engaged again. Kristoff who was very much in love with Anna, but horribly hid it, took to what Anna said seriously. And exactly half a year later, he waited to propose.

Currently they were planning on getting married in the summer; this summer. How the time had quickly passed.

Being queen was easy enough, she knew that being the eldest she would eventually take the throne. That was not her initial problem when she became queen. During her coronation ball, she gave away to everyone that she had magical powers. She could freeze anything with just a touch of her fingertip, make it snow wherever and whenever she wanted, and control ice and snow altogether. She even brought life to a snowman named Olaf from her childhood.

Everyone at the ball found out, when Anna came up to her and claimed she was getting married to a man she met just that night. In her fear and frustration, she unintentionally created a giant wall of ice spikes, after Anna grabbed her glove. She ran away to the North mountain, where she could start over and finally be who she was. She created a giant ice castle herself, changed her dress, and her entire look.

However Anna came after her, persuading her to come back and put an end to the eternal winter in Arendelle. Not knowing at the time how to fully control her powers, she accidentally struck her sister in the heart because of her fear. Sometime later, Prince Hans and some knights came after her to bring her back by force. The Duke of Weselton sent two of his men to assassinate her, but she stopped them just in time. During the assault she blacked out, and woke up in an Arendelle castle's prison cell.

She was able to escape in the nick of time to search for her sister, when she saw Hans. He fed her a lie that Anna had already died, because of being struck in the heart. In grief, she fell to the ground sobbing, which in turn stopped the storm but not the winter. Just as Hans was sneaking up behind to assassinate her, Anna came in between them becoming frozen solid, knocking Hans out. Realizing her sister died saving her life, she cried in her frozen arms. Then a miracle happened. Anna unthawed and became alive once again. Only an act of true love could reverse the curse, which Anna had done to save the sister she loved. That's when it hit her, love could undo the winter she had created. It was love that was the opposite of fear, her true enemy.

The kingdom fully accepted her once again as queen, after she proved to them that she could fully control her powers. She and Anna agreed to never live alone in isolation again, like they did their whole childhood. They would always keep the gates open, and welcome visitors. She no longer hid in her room anymore, in fact it was the opposite. She was always too busy to be in her room, and hurried around the castle taking care of duties. She even traveled to neighboring kingdoms to talk about trade. Finally she was living life not in isolation, and was surrounded by people who loved her.

But sometimes she would watch Anna and Kristoff together, and see how happy they were. Though she was not the type to get jealous, she often wished she could share an extra special connection with someone. Even after all the balls she and Anna held and went to, she never met anyone who caught her eye. Of course once in a while she danced with gentlemen who asked her to. But never did she experience that spark of romance. It was all very dull, and all men seemed the same to her. It saddened Elsa to know she probably had a very slim chance of finding someone. Many people accepted her, but were still a bit intimidated by her powers. She longed for someone who could keep up with her, who was her equal. But she had started to accept the fact that she would be alone, yet in a different way.

The cold never bothered me anyway, she jokingly thought to herself. However that was a half-truth. The physical coldness she loved. It was the loneliness of the cold, which left her empty.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. She was sitting in her study room, where she kept all her papers, contracts, letters, agreements, and what not. Realizing she was slouching in her seat, she quickly sat up straight and fixed her hair, making sure she was at least presentable. The same time she heard herself say, "Come in," her three foot tall friend walked right into her office.

"Hi Elsa!" The snowman exclaimed with a big grin on his face, and waving his hand up in the air. By the voice, Elsa could immediately tell who it was.

"Oh Olaf, come in and sit with me," just being around the friendly snowman brought a smile to her face. She had made him for Anna as kids whenever they played, and pretended that he was real. Olaf was something that bonded the two young sisters, and created the happiest childhood memories. When Elsa ran away after her coronation, she tested the might of her powers on the north mountain, freeing all her pent up emotion and magic. Unknowingly, Elsa had made Olaf while creating her previous ice castle. But she had actually brought life into him, and infused the pretend personality she and Anna created for him.

Olaf grabbed the chair closest to her, and scooted in as close as he could get. "So what are you working on now huh?" Olaf said enthusiastically.

She chuckled. "Just the usual, paperwork, letters, making sure everything is in order," Elsa was cut off.

"What's that right there?"

"This is a letter to a neighboring kingdom west of here. I'm writing to thank them for their generosity and for welcoming our kingdom's representative. I need to make sure I maintain good connections with all our people and neighbors as well."

"Does that include snow people too?"

"Yes it certainly does," Elsa gave the snowman a frosty hug.

Then she remembered. "Do you know where my sister is at right now?"

"I think she's over in the library reading with Kristoff. At least that's where she was an hour ago when I was admiring all the lit candles."

Even still to today, it did not click in Olaf's head that technically heat was a bad thing for him. He was always sitting by the fire, inspecting the castle kitchen oven, or outside playing in the sun, but it never dawned on him once that it was heat which turned snow into liquid water. Like a child he was naïve in the same way. But for his safety, Elsa created his own personal snow flurry. That way, he could enjoy warmth without melting into a puddle. Whenever the snowman was around his creator Elsa, there was no fear of him melting, so having his flurry with her was optional.

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" She asked.

"Of course!" His mouth held agape with a smile.

"Could you find my sister and ask her to come see me? I have a question to ask her before I finish off this letter."

"Of course!" Olaf jumped off the chair and headed for the door, while Elsa created a new flurry over him.

As he opened the door, a messenger was just about to knock.

"Oh hi there, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" He held out his stick hand.

The startled messenger shook hands with the optimistic snowman, and proceeded to say, "Nice to meet you Olaf, my name is Geir. If you'll excuse me, I have something to deliver to the queen."

Olaf happily left the room, while Niel the messenger walked over to Elsa's desk. In his hand was a letter, and on the front was a detailed red wax seal with a symbol of a bird.

"For you my queen. Another messenger from outside the castle rode up on his steed, and told me to relay this letter back to you. He said it was urgent, and that he would wait for a response letter. I invited our guest in to spend the night, to regain his strength for the trip back. The staff set up a guest room upstairs, and took his horse to the stalls to be groomed. By the appearance of his garb, he doesn't look like he's from around here. He told me that he didn't know what the contents of the message. Only that it was between you and the royal family of Aldyn."

"Thank you Geir, you did everything appropriately. I will look into it right away."

Niel quickly bowed, handing the surprisingly lightweight letter to her, and exited the room. Elsa was alone once more.

Let's see what this letter is all about, she thought to herself.

Inspecting the unfamiliar seal closer, it was blood red in color, and the bird had a handsome design to it. Pulling the letter opener out of the drawer, she slit the envelope on the top. A single paged letter fell out. She wondered why, if it was so urgent, it was only one page long.

It was addressed to her, To Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and only her. The letter started by saying, we are sending this letter out of hope and out of desperation… She continued down. Dumbstruck by what she just read, Elsa read it through a second time, and then a third. Pausing for a good few minutes, she pondered over the letter she held in her hands.

Elsa grabbed a piece of paper from her drawer, dipped her pen in the black ink, and began to write. After a few attempts of hashing out what she was going to write, the letter said this.

_To the Royal Family of Aldyn,_

_I have received your letter with amazement, and mixed emotions. This summer to celebrate my sister, Princess Anna of Arendelle, and her fiancé for their marriage, we are holding a ball. The whole royal family of Aldyn is invited to stay here in Arendelle for as long as needed. During your stay, we will then discuss the contents of your letter, and the situation that needs to be addressed. The marriage ceremony and ball will be taking place from July 20th through the 22nd._

_I will personally have rooms prepared in the castle for your stay, and am awaiting your arrival to Arendelle._

_Sincerely,_

_Queen Elsa of Arendelle_

Elsa finished by signing her name on the bottom, and sealing the letter with her stamp. She would give this letter to the messenger from Aldyn by this evening.

She sat in her chair for some time before Anna came in, to give Elsa advice she needed. The queen did not mention the contents of the letter to her sister. Because it was meant only for her, she could not tell Anna before consulting the King and Queen of Aldyn.

For the rest of the day, she could not get her mind off of the letter. After sending off the final letter to her guest for Anna's marriage ceremony, Elsa decided to get some fresh air outside. She grabbed a cloak for her ice dress she made the other day, and took a solitary walk out in the castle garden. Her favorite spot to think was at the bench by the roses. There she could find peace and quiet, and reflect on her thoughts. Another plus about it was that it smelled amazing.

Elsa sat down on the bench, and held a rose in her right hand. She allowed it to frost over, becoming a beautifully carved ice sculpture. She broke the flower off of the bush and held it in her hand, as she watched it slowly melt away.

_I am not alone anymore. _


	2. Chapter 2 - Anticipation

Today was the day of the big summer ball Elsa had been planning for the past month. She had been up since seven in the morning, out of anticipation and just being a morning person. She let Anna sleep in, who snored soundly asleep and her hair a mess. Everyone in the castle seemed to be in an extra good mood that day, practically in sing song mode. There was not a cloud in the sky outside, and the sun shone bright through the window. Elsa opened the curtains of her room and the window completely, letting the warm air blow through. Though she was the queen of snow, she also loved the warmth of summer. In the air, she could smell a delicious waft from the castle kitchen below. The chefs on staff were working very hard that whole day, to accommodate for the party. All of Arendelle and kingdoms far and wide that she had connections with, were invited. In short, the castle was going to be a packed place that night.

But it was not the ball that made Elsa so antsy. Since she returned to the throne, she and Anna held balls and dances in the castle for many occasions. They always kept the gates open except for at night, and then they would have guards posted. Even so, they never had to keep them locked. The castle had become a very entertaining place. What made tonight so different, was the letter she received two weeks ago.

The letter went something like this.

_To Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle,_

_We are sending this letter out of hope and a bit out of desperation. Word has spread across far and wide that you have magical powers, being able to turn things into snow and ice in one touch. We have heard the story about how you unthawed the eternal winter, which you unintentionally set upon your kingdom. We have also heard that you are a very wise, strong, and powerful queen. That is why we are begging for your help._

_We have two children, a son and a daughter. When our son was born, he grew up normally like any other boy. But when our daughter was born afterwards, we noticed something was different about her. It started after she first learned how to walk. We were in our castle library reading, and she was near us playing with her dolls. We looked away for a moment, and when we looked back at her, her doll was on fire. We quickly extinguished the fire, unsure where it came from. Everyone tried to figure it out, for the next few months. Maybe perhaps a sorcerer used some sort of magic to threaten us, or tried to assassinate our daughter. However, we were wrong._

_When she was a few years older, one evening our daughter became upset, and unintentionally set the table on fire. We were all stunned and frightened, but then put together the situation, that she was only a toddler. Immediately she was taken into the castle infirmary to be examined, but they claimed that nothing was wrong or unhealthy about her. We went to many healers and even a few magicians to see what was wrong, and if they could try to reverse her powerful curse. But no one knew how to help._

_Now that she had become older, she's grown much more powerful. We have had to fireproof her whole room, and give her gloves cast with a subduing enchantment, instead of setting the castle on fire. It has been mostly controlled so far. But the older she gets, the more dangerous she becomes. No one else outside family and trusted ones knows of her power. However we are very concerned of her going out of control, and becoming dangerous to herself and others._

_Then we heard stories about you Queen Elsa, how you stopped a great winter from freezing Arendelle. Although we have never sent a letter like this before, we are pleading, you for the sake of our daughter, to teach and help her control her wild powers. Please, help our daughter._

_With Best Regards,_

_The Royal King and Queen of Aldyn_

There was someone out there with powers just like her. Never in her wildest dreams, did she think there was someone who shared similar magical powers. Despite what she thought earlier, she had to share this special news with somebody. Elsa knew who she would share it with.

"There you are Anna!"

The queen giggled. Her younger sister came around the corner riding a bicycle.

"Oh Elsa! Look I found, it's your old bike! I told you that you had one as well, somewhere," it was a little dusty, a little dirty, and a bit worn out from neglect.

"Where did you even find that thing?"

"In our family's private storage! That's where Mom and Dad used to put away all our things from when we were kids."

"I didn't even know we had a private attic."

"Of course this castle has one. I used to go up there all the time, it's quite peaceful up there. Mom and Dad never gave anything away that was sentimental to them or to us. They always stored it up there."

As long as Elsa could remember, her parents were always trying to conceal her and her power. She would have never thought of them being sentimental. Of course, she did not know them very well at all. Her parents never really talked to her about normal things, that parents usually tell their kids. They only wanted to talk about how to hide her powers better. They pretended like they knew her, and to a certain extent they did. Growing up they were the ones who knew her best, and that was not saying much. For sure she loved them, after all they were her parents. But they unknowingly damaged her more than they could understand. They taught her fear was the stronger force, and that having a healthy fear of herself would protect her. In reality, she was the stronger one.

"I had no idea they were sentimental about our things."

"Well I'm glad they loved you enough to save your old bike," Anna winked. "Now we can ride around together, hop on!"

There was only one seat on the bike, the one Anna was sitting on. "Um hop on where?"

"The handle bars silly!"

Elsa sat down on top of the handle bars, hoping her dress would not get caught in the wheels or gears.

"Now hold on, we're off," Anna started pedaling down the hallway.

Elsa was going to say to her sister she did not have time to goof off, and this was all very immature. But she quickly forgot when realizing how much fun Anna was having. Then Elsa remembered, she was going to tell her about the letter.

"Anna these past two weeks I've been really wanting to tell you something."

"I knew something was up, I could just tell! You can tell me anything Elsa, you know that," she said with a smile while still pedaling. "It must be pretty important then, if you were debating telling me for two weeks," she said jokingly.

"Yeah it's a pretty big deal, well, for me at least."

"Ooh is it a boy? Tell me, is he tall? Is he handsome?"

Of course that would be the first thing Anna would think of.

"No it's not about a boy!"

Thank goodness for that, she thought

"I haven't met anyone, actually it's about a letter I received. It came from a kingdom called Aldyn."

"Oh darn. Well, I've never heard of them before around these parts."

"That's because they are a smaller kingdom out farther east. They're not one of the kingdoms we do regular business with. The royal family is coming tonight for the ball, and staying here for a little while after."

"Did something happen with them?"

"No, this involves other personal matters. Because you're my sister, I wanted to tell you what was happening. I'm sure as long as it's between us, them, and people they trust, its fine to tell you."

"But Elsa, why are they staying here at the castle? You don't know who these people are, or what they're like. And why here, rather than any other kingdoms closer to them?"

Elsa was going to explain, but she turned her head around to see that Anna was heading towards the stairs.

"Anna!" The queen shouted and pointed. Her sister saw where they were heading for, but it was too late to swerve away.

The bike bounced all the way down the giant stair case, and Elsa and Anna screamed at the poor castle staff below. "Get out of the way!"

For a moment they were stunned to see the queen and princess in such a ridiculous situation. But they realized if they did not move, they would get run over. Hurriedly they scrambled to the sides, and Elsa, Anna, and her old bicycle crashed on the floor.

"Your majesties, are you alright?" A couple men came over to help, but the sisters got right up, laughing hard.

"Thank you, but I think we are fine," Elsa said. "Did anyone get hurt?"

There was silence, but then one laugh broke out from the staff. The laughter spread and in moments, the whole room was in hysterics.

"Well I guess it's not every day you see the queen and the princess riding down the halls on a bike." The staff workers chuckled as they dispersed, and went back to their work.

"Your bike Elsa, it's crushed!" Indeed the old bike was twisted and the wheels were bent.

"That's okay, I'll get a new bike not meant for a kid, and then we can ride around outside sometime."

"That sounds great! But Elsa you never answered my question." Anna set the bike against the wall, and she and Elsa sat down on the stair steps.

"Why is Aldyn coming here, specifically here, when they have other places to go to?"

"Well, long story short it's about their daughter." Elsa took her sister's hands. "She's like me Anna. She has powers just like I do."

Anna gasped. "That's amazing! She's able to magically freeze things too?"

"Well, not quite."

"What do you mean?"

"She doesn't freeze things… she burns things."

"You mean like fire? That sounds a little dangerous."

"It's only dangerous if you can't control it. Sure it's one thing to use my powers, it's another thing to get them to do what I want."

"So is Aldyn coming here then to get help, or advice from you?"

"They said their daughter's powers are growing out of control. They believe I can somehow help, since I have powers as well."

Elsa did not know how she felt about the tone of the letter. It reminded her of her deceased parents, who were afraid of her own ice magic. And that made her uncomfortable.

"But your powers are totally opposite! I mean, fire and snow? Those are the exact opposite of each other. How do you know you can help them?"

"I don't know. I don't know if I can do, what they want me to do. But there's somebody like me out there Anna. I'm not the only one, I'm not alone," Elsa said smiling.

"Oh Elsa," Anna hugged her. "You are the last thing from alone! I'm here for you, Kristoff is here for you, and so are Olaf and Sven. There are people who care about you. Your kingdom cares about you. But still, that's amazing! And she's coming to the ball tonight, I wonder what her powers look like. I wonder, should I start fireproofing things?"

"We'll be alright," Elsa laughed. "She's not going to burn the castle down, I'll make sure of that. But make sure you don't tell this to anyone else, until I get an 'okay' from them. I want to make sure I respect their privacy, as well as not give something for Arendelle to gossip about."

"But I can tell Kristoff right?"

Elsa thought for a moment. "I guess it's alright to tell Kristoff. After all, he will be part of the family soon. But nobody else, at least for now."

"You can count on me," Anna did a quirky salute.

"I know I can trust you Anna," Elsa said with a big smile. "Now speaking of other important matters, are you going to show me the dress you're wearing tonight?"


	3. Chapter 3 - Meet the Parents

Elsa was outside walking through the garden. That morning she had been learning how to ride horses with Anna, as her teacher. Being isolated in her own room for so long growing up, she never got the chance to learn how. Horses, the queen realized, were much larger than she imagined. But after an hour or so, she had gotten the hang of it. Nothing smaller than Marshmallow could intimidate her.

Marshmallow was another snowman she had created, along with Olaf. The difference between the two snowmen was that Olaf was created from love and memories, while Marshmallow was created from the desire to be alone. However since Elsa came over her fear, Marshmallow's temper seemed to come around as well. He became very gentle and thoughtful actually, though he liked to be by himself most of the time. Olaf had coined the name Marshmallow originally, to make fun of the big giant. However as time passed, the name suited his personality. Elsa visited the giant on some occasions, making sure he wasn't neglected. But every single time she checked up on him living on the North Mountain, he was perfectly happy. It made sense, being it was his natural desire to be alone.

And she was also alone, walking off her anxiety. Today was the day of the ball! Never in her life had she ever been excited for a ball, but tonight was different. It was the day she would meet somebody just like her. Of course, according to the king and queen of Aldyn, they would be meeting on desperate circumstances. But her happiness overtook the negativity of the situation. Anna of course, always was excited for these kind of things. Especially tonight's party, as it was to celebrate her and Kristoff's wedding. In just a few days she would be wed to him.

Lately her sister had been going through very high ups and low downs. Her moods would suddenly swing in an instant, one second she would be happy and the next uptight. It was probably due to pent up nerves. The queen could not relate to what her sister was feeling. Still, Elsa had tried asking her about it, but Anna just brushed it off. She was not the type to pressure her to talk about anything. Where Anna was acting a bit jumpy those days, Kristoff was acting like any normal man before his own wedding. A little goofier, a little clumsier, a little more distracted. He was a good man, especially for Anna. Elsa definitely respected him also for waiting to propose, unlike Anna's last "fiancé" Hans. Many men would have desired her sister's hand for the same reasons Hans did; power, wealth, control, a whole kingdom. But Kristoff could take or leave that sort of thing. It was not what he cared about most. He was also a hard worker, and if anything did ever happen to Elsa, she could trust both him and Anna to take care of the kingdom.

She saw the regular duck couple swimming down the stream, followed by their baby ducklings. Even the ducks had someone special, but not her.

_What a stupidly sappy thing to think_, Elsa said to herself. Despite it all, the ducklings were cute to watch, and made Elsa smile. Then she heard a bell ring from the courtyard.

Was it already noon? She looked down at her riding dress she was wearing from earlier. Elsa realized needed to go back to the castle fast to change, and look presentable for the arriving guests. The queen had already made ready rooms in the guest hallway, and made sure everything was in order. At a brisk pace, Elsa hurried back to the castle.

When the queen got back, she was bombarded with staff asking for advice. Which decorations looked the best around the ballroom, were the cake toppings appropriate, what time they should open the doors to the castle, and so on. They worked very efficiently and quickly. Once she had answered every question, she left for her room upstairs to put on more appropriate clothes.

The grandfather clock said it was about 1 PM. Looking out her window, there were a few people outside socializing amongst themselves. A warm breeze came in the colder room. Elsa walked over to her wardrobe, and opened its doors. She pulled out one of her light blue ice dresses. The queen did not wear it all the time, only on more special and formal occasions. It was designed with northern Arendelle prints around the collar, and the sleeves. To her the dress itself was special. It was a symbol of freedom and accepting herself. Whenever Elsa wore it, she felt like she was representing her true self along with those things. Elsa changed out of her casual outfit, and into the blue gown. She fixed her hair into a side braid, her favorite hairstyle she always sported, and looked into the full length mirror.

There stood a queen, who was feared and consumed by fear, but came out strong. She was afraid to love her sister, but in the end it was her sister Anna who taught her how to love. Her powers were wild, and unsafe, but then she learned how to fully control them. Elsa hoped she could help the princess of Aldyn the same way, and be someone for her to lean on. The person Elsa herself needed when growing up. Maybe she was thinking way too ahead of herself.

A knock at the door, and then a familiar voice.

"Hey Elsa, can I come in?" It was Anna.

"Of course, I'm just getting ready for tonight."

Anna walked into Elsa's room, and saw her sister turn around.

"Wow, you look gorgeous!"

"Thank you, but I think you take the cake for this one."

"I hope its white cake!"

"It is, with raspberry filling inside!"

Both of the girls savored the thought of all the good food and sweets to eat. But Elsa meant it, Anna looked absolutely beautiful. She was wearing a lavender gown, with lace on the sleeves. Around her neck was a white and delicate pearl necklace. In her up do, she somehow incorporated small silver chains into her braids.

"I wanted to give you something for tonight," Anna said. "While in the attic looking for your bike, I found a box of mom's special jewelry. There was a pretty silver diamond necklace I found, and thought it would look pretty on you."

Anna took out from her pocket a very stunning necklace, with little diamonds surrounding a bigger diamond center. The center diamond was roughly five centimeters wide, ten centimeters tall and had a teardrop cut. It looked like it was a very valuable necklace. Elsa took it from Anna's hand, and clasped it on around her neck.

"I know that you and Mom were not very close, but she did love us, especially you. She worried about you a lot, but not in a-," Anna was cut off, before she rambled on.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me. If Mom and Dad were still alive, I know they would have been proud of us today."

The two sisters hugged each other tightly. Though their parents were not around anymore, especially during this time in Anna's life, they still had each other. They were sisters, and Kristoff would soon become another member of their family.

"And I also wanted to give you this."

"Wow, you are sure giving me a lot of presents today Anna. I should be the one giving you the gifts!"

"No it's actually not a gift, it belongs to you. The other day when Kristoff was coming back from delivering ice, he ran into Marshmallow near the North Mountain. Apparently Marshmallow was coming all the way down to the castle, because he found this."

It was Elsa's tiara that she had thrown away, right after running away to the North Mountain herself. She did so, never thinking she would come back to Arendelle. After her return to the throne, she had slowly regretted losing the royal heirloom which was passed down for centuries. But now by a giant stroke of luck, or fate, it was found.

"Think that was the same snowman that kicked me and Kristoff out of your old castle. He's not a meanie, he's actually a big sweetheart. Who knew he was so thoughtful, he must really care about you."

"I don't know what to say, I never thought I would see it again. I thought it was long gone."

"Well, you have Marshmallow and Kristoff to thank!" Anna put the old tiara on top of the queen's head.

"Now look in the mirror."

Elsa looked again into the full body mirror, this time with the necklace and crown. The tiara that she had discarded in the past, somehow completed her. It was like she fully became queen again at that very moment.

"You look like a true queen."

"I'll never be 'the queen' to you, I'll always just be your sister."

"Alright already with the heartfelt comments!" Her sister laughed. "Snow Queen of Arendelle, with the crown on your head, you look gracious and strong and fair." Anna did a little dance with some dramatic hand motions.

"Confident and bright, though cold just a slight -,"

"Oh Anna."

"Your beauty and compassion is rare." She twirled the queen around in a dance, as if the ball had already begun.

Before they knew it another hour and a half had passed by, while Anna was teaching her sister how to dance. Elsa was not much of a dancer. She mostly, if not all the time, declined dancing with anyone. To the men she turned down, she told a white lie that she did not have the best footing. But by the next time she checked the clock, Elsa had gotten the hang of a few basic steps.

A guard knocked on Elsa's door, and both of the girls stood up straight and smoothed out their dresses.

"My Queen, Aldyn is here, and we have shown them to the guest rooms."

Goodness why could they have not let me know sooner, Elsa thought. Instead she said, "Thank you, I will be down there at once." Elsa turned to her sister. Her heart beat fast from nervousness. "Come on Anna, let's go meet our guests."

Elsa's stomach was quenched up, but did not show her feelings while walking down the stairs. She held her head high and was determined to look as queen-like as she possibly could, despite her inner excitement. The two girls came to the guest hall, and the sentry guard motioned to the first few rooms.

This was it.

She raised her hand to knock, but paused.

_This was it. Just knock already._ That's what Olaf simply would say at least.

Elsa turned to Anna, who gave her a half smile saying she knew what she was thinking. The queen knocked. After a few moments, the door opened. There stood a man in a royal suit with a crown on his head. He was fair skinned, had a great beard, and stood at least six foot. This man had to be the king.

"Hello, you must be King…"

"Viktor," The king said gesturing to shake hands with the two sisters. "Viktor, king of Aldyn. And you must be Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

"Indeed I am, you can just call me Elsa. And this is my sister Anna."

"Honey who's at the door?" Another voice was heard from inside the room.

"The Queen and Princess of Arendelle!"

A woman wearing a crown on her head joined the king, her husband. "Please forgive me, I was just unpacking a few dresses. I'm Viktor's wife, Charlotte. Pleasure to meet you both."

The queen of Aldyn shook Elsa and Anna's hands one at a time, and made eye contact with them both. Elsa picked up right off the bat that Viktor's wife was a very social person.

"And you as well. Did you travel safely?"

"Oh yes," said the queen. "It's summer of course, so there was no snow in the passes. The mountains around Arendelle are so lovely. It was a very scenic trip, wasn't it?" She nudged her husband's arm, hinting for him to make talk.

The king grunted and cleared his throat, "Quite so indeed. We encountered no bandits or thieves, which made the trip much faster. On the outskirts of our kingdom, there have been rising occurrences of thievery."

"Oh Viktor! That's all you've been thinking of these days is crime, and to bring it up now…," Charlotte turned to Elsa. "Please forgive my husband, he's been very wrapped up in many affairs lately."

"No forgiveness needed," said Anna smiling. "It's not easy work ruling an entire kingdom. I see that from Elsa first hand!"

That was true. It seemed like all the time when Elsa was working, Anna wanted to spend time with her older sister. The younger girl was someone who liked being entertained, and not being bored. So she would not have to shoo her away, Elsa let Anna help with her queen duties around the castle.

"Well, you both are very kind for letting us stay here for a few days," Charlotte replied.

"Only a few days?" Elsa said a bit confused.

"Yes, sorry we did not let you know sooner. There have been extra matters needed to be taken care of lately, so Viktor and I will be leaving after your celebration Anna. Our son is not here with us, rather he chose to stay behind to watch over Aldyn. He is the next successor after all. Our daughter is staying in the room across from ours. Right now she is refusing to come out of her room, that stubborn girl. She should at least show respect and say hi, after all the effort we've put in for her."

"Oh no it's quite alright," said Elsa. "You just arrived here from a very long trip, and are all probably exhausted. Please, make yourselves at home here."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, we certainly appreciate it especially in these circumstances," said the king.

The four of them said a few more words back and forth, before Elsa and Anna left the king and queen to rest up before the party.

As Anna and Elsa were walking back upstairs, out of anyone's earshot, Anna said to Elsa, "The queen seemed kind of a nag, don't you think? A bit over-dramatic in my opinion."

"Anna! That is not how we should speak about our guests," there was shock, but a tone of sarcasm in her voice. The queen of Aldyn did seem like she overpowered her husband in conversation, and perhaps a bit of a badger towards her daughter. They did not even introduce them their daughter's name, who was the whole reason of them staying at the castle. The king and queen did not seem like rude people, though maybe just a bit distracted and tired.

"Hey I'm going to go and check on Kristoff," Anna said all of a sudden. "I just remembered, I was going to bring over his jacket for tonight. But then I got distracted giving you the necklace and having fun. Whoops!"

Elsa laughed. "You better hurry then!"

"I'll see you later tonight Elsa!"

"See you later! And meet me in the main hall this evening!" Anna was already down the hall when she smiled at her sister.

To her disappointment, she had not met this princess, the girl who could control heat and flame. But later tonight, she would finally meet her.


	4. Chapter 4 - Princess of Aldyn

All throughout the ballroom, courtyard, and main hall, it was extremely crowded. The first guests came earlier than expected, and brought gifts for Anna and Kristoff. A table was set aside for cards and gifts. One by one, the three of them made sure they welcomed each and every person. Outside in the courtyard, Elsa made ice sculptures from the water flowing out of the fountains. They were carved into beautiful swans that faced each other. She also froze a layer of ice around the pillars, carving her own design, and made walls of "stained glass" between some of them. It didn't take her that long at all, really it only took seconds. She just had to have a general idea of what she wanted the place to look like in her head. Elsa's powers were becoming a little stronger every day, just like the trolls told her when she was a child.

Elsa was disappointed the king and queen of Aldyn did not introduce their daughter earlier. She really had no clue about what this girl was like, except the princess did not want to come out and say hi. Still that was not a good reason to assume anything about her.

Scenarios started playing in Elsa's mind. What if the girl's powers were too out of control, and could not be tamed? What would happen then? What would she do?

Although, it could go the other way around, and everything could work itself out. Regardless, Elsa decided she would hold her judgment on the situation. Until she knew fully what the "problem" was with the princess' magic at least.

She shook hands with the king of the Southern Isles, and his eldest son, who was next in line for the throne. He was in fact the brother to Hans, the first man Anna got engaged to. Though Hans did not turn out to be the nicest guy ever, the rest of the family was very apologetic and sincere. Elsa did not want to break off her connection with them, as they tried hard to make amends and apologized profusely. They sent her a gift, which she accepted, and replied with a letter that everything was forgiven.

The eldest son, Kurt, was a gentleman. Very serious, he always stood up straight. He looked much like his younger brother, except taller, broader, and had a full beard. His whole family shared the same honest blue eyes that Hans had. He was just as big as his father, and just as charismatic as his brother.

However, he did not interest Elsa. He was very good looking, but nothing about him captivated her. She definitely noticed he was eyeing her, and giving her a little extra attention while talking. But she went on, treating him as every other honored guest. She did not want to lead him on, for it would not work out.

_Not that it couldn't necessarily…_

But Elsa just wasn't attracted.

She noticed Princess Rapunzel and Prince Eugene, from the Kingdom of Corona, off in the distance. They lived more south, where it was warmer than Arendelle. She managed to catch their eye and wave at them.

In her head she noted that all the guests that Anna especially wanted were there. It was her choice to invite Hans' family, though not all of them could come. She saw Anna and Kristoff laughing together with an older couple. It looked like they were thoroughly enjoying their time. Elsa was glad, they deserved to be happy.

She was not as naturally social as Anna. That was something her sister was better at. After a while, big crowds made her tired. Elsa decided grab a drink and find somewhere to sit down.

Over by the table of food, the waiter served her a glass of fine champagne. It was just what she needed, after a busy day constantly on her feet, she needed to sit down and unwind. The queen walked into the ballroom, where many couples were dancing and socializing. Closer to the wall there were fine velvet chairs to sit down on. She took a seat, and noticed a girl sitting not too far away. Like herself, she also had a glass of champagne in her hand.

She wore a simple forest green off-shoulder gown, which went down a few inches above her ankles, along with black heels. The only jewelry she wore were pearl earrings with diamonds in the middle, and a pearl necklace. Her hair was long, light ash brown, and had hint of red to it from the indoor lighting. The girl's skin was fair, and her eyes were blue. She looked like she was just about her age, though maybe a little smaller in size.

But there were two things about her that Elsa noticed especially. One being the look on her face. It was obvious to see the girl felt out of place just being there. The second, and more recognizable, was that she was wearing short black gloves. Of course, gloves were not uncommon or necessarily unfashionable. She saw many other women wearing gloves around that night. But the girl's gloves did not look like they were made of silk, but were made from a thicker fabric. When Elsa was growing up, she always had to wear gloves made from a similar material.

Elsa had the urge to talk to the girl. But for some reason she just could not make herself. It was not like anything was physically holding her back, but it just made her anxious. Maybe it was the champagne. Or maybe it was because this girl reminded the queen of her pitiful, sad past.

_Just go up to her_, she thought to herself.

Whatever the reason was, she disregarded it. It was her role as queen to make sure everyone was having a decent time. After a few minutes of getting over herself and a few more sips of her drink, she gathered the courage to go over and talk.

"Hello there," she said with a smile.

The girl gave the queen a closed mouth smile and blushed, as she took a sip of her own drink.

Well that was awkward, Elsa thought to herself. But that did not stop her from trying to make conversation.

"What's your name?" Elsa scooted closer to shake hands and be polite.

"Tanya," the girl gave a one worded answer.

"How do you like the ball so far?"

"It's alright. I don't really know anybody here."

"Did you come with anybody?"

"I came with my parents."

"Where is your family from?"

"You sure have a lot of questions for me, don't you," Tanya seemed slightly flustered. "If you must know everything about me, I'm not from here, otherwise I'd know somebody. I have no idea where my parents went. My father is probably talking about the current politics that he's so obsessed about. My mother is probably drunk and gossiping with people she doesn't even know. But I don't really care, I'm not some little kid that needs to be watched over. Does that answer all your questions?"

"I…" the queen was speechless. Elsa had never had anyone talk that upfront and brash to her before. She did not know how to respond. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Elsa got up to move away before she embarrassed herself even further.

Taking notice that she hurt Elsa, the girl's face softened. She grabbed the queen's arm to get her attention.

"No, I'm sorry. That was rude. It's been a long day."

"Hasn't it for all of us."

"Very true. That and I'm not as peppy as half the people here," Tanya chuckled.

Elsa went back down and sat beside the girl. "You should meet my sister then, she definitely loves to talk. Her energy definitely comes from being around people, and thrives during parties like tonight."

"Your sister sounds very nice."

"She's the only family I have. It's hard for me to believe Anna's getting married in just a few days."

It took Tanya a few moments to realize who she was speaking to.

"Wait. The princess is your sister so… you're the queen of Arendelle? I'm so sorry, I had no idea-"

"Just call me Elsa," the queen cut her off. "And you don't need to apologize. I probably would have annoyed myself with all the questions I was asking." They both chuckled, and then looked at each other in the eyes.

Her eyes were as blue as a storm.

A violinists started off playing a new song, and the rest of the string instruments came in. It was a slower song, and the men and women dancing dispersed from the dance floor.

"This song, I've heard it before somewhere," Tanya said. "I just can't quite remember where."

"It's one of my favorite pieces actually. I have to say though, it sounds much better on piano."

"You have a piano here?" Tanya piped up?

"Yes it's in the library upstairs, it's quite old but still in tune. Would you like to go upstairs and play it?"

"Oh I don't know how. I've always thought it was beautiful though, and have always wanted to learn."

"Well since we are here, why don't I play for you?"

"You can play?" Her eyes grew big like a child's.

"Here, why don't I show you?" Elsa said warmly.

They made their way up to Arendelle's great library, vast with a sea of books. Some were placed so high up, that they may not have ever been touched, besides when they were shelved up there. There was a large fireplace and a mantle, along with some cozy chairs and couches. The whole room had a warm atmosphere to it. Towards the side of the room, there was a grand piano in all black. It looked very old, just as the queen said. Elsa lit the fire and candles to make her guest more comfortable, and the light gave the piano a gloss, which flickered whenever the flames did.

Elsa went over to the piano and sat down to the bench. She saw Tanya still standing, watching the queen, not really sure what to do with herself.

The queen saw this, so she scooted to the side to make room and pat the bench.

"You can sit with me while I play."

Tanya just nodded and quietly sat down right against Elsa's side.

"Now it's been a year since I picked up piano again, so my playing may not be as good," the sheet music said Clair de Lune on the top.

Elsa started off slow and delicately. Her fingertips slowly remembered again which keys to press, and when to use the pedal. It came back to her, like her memories from the past. Every sad feeling she had ever felt, the silent anger of her power when it swelled inside her, the fear she had dealt with her whole life. But most of all, the music reminded her of nighttime and the winter. Of snowflakes that fall to the ground, and the formation of icicles. She could feel her emotions pouring out into the music.

When the music started to pick up, she heard Tanya whisper, "So beautiful."

The queen kept on playing. She loved the plinking of the keys, and how they felt under her fingertips. Elsa was not musically gifted with instruments, though she did have a voice. However it was something that gave her simple pleasure as a fun pastime.

When the song ended and her fingers stopped, she looked over at Tanya, who had tears in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" She took out her handkerchief and wiped the tears from her eyes. The girl was obviously moved by her performance. "There, what's the matter?"

"I feel so silly, tearing up like this. I remember now. That was the last song I ever heard my father play on the piano. When I was little, I would watch him play just like I did now. But he gave it up. Like everything else."

Once more Elsa found herself not knowing how to respond. This was happening tonight more than she liked.

Tanya got up off the seat. "Including me. Same goes with my mother."

_You have to say something, anything. Make her feel better._

"Now listen, you're parents do care. They're your parents."

"No they don't. You don't know them, and you don't know me," she said quietly.

Who was this girl, Elsa thought. She sounded very sad.

"Maybe that's true," the queen responded. "Maybe I don't know you. But maybe, just like how they don't know you, you don't know them either." Elsa realized that just maybe that was not the right thing to say. Maybe she should just not say anything.

Tanya looked hurt, as if the hard cold truth was told to her. "I… I… I'm sorry again Queen Elsa, thank you for showing me around the castle, and playing piano for me, but I have to go."

Elsa did not want the girl to go, not on this bad note. She needed to apologize for what she blurted out.

"Wait Tanya!" She followed the girl, and grabbed hold of her arm.

"Let me go, please!" Tanya looked frightened. Just then, a glow emanated from her hand. In less than a second a flame burst out, and she aimed it towards the fireplace. Elsa let go.

There was a look of fear in Tanya's eyes, the same fear that Elsa knew all too well. "Please," the girl said in fear, as she held her arm and slowly backed away.

Elsa did not try to stop her from running out the door.

Tanya. She was the Princess of Aldyn.

_Oh no._

Did she really know what she was getting into?


	5. Chapter 5 - Regret

Elsa lost Tanya downstairs, trying to find her in the crowd of people. She felt awful, and yet at the same time she did not know what to feel. The queen did not even know why she was feeling these things. But one thing was sure, she was going to set things right. After all, Tanya was going to be staying there for a while. Regretfully, Elsa wished she had listened better to the princess.

"Queen Elsa," the king of Aldyn said officially, as he and his wife approached her from behind.

A startled Elsa spun around, as if she had just woken up.

"Can we speak to you in private?" They looked worried.

"Of course, let us go to my study." She assumed they wanted to talk about what just happened with their daughter.

Anxious thoughts ran through the ice queen's mind. Oh no, it was going to be about Tanya. Something happened to her. Or maybe I screwed everything up.

Why did she have to approach the girl in the first place? It's not like the girl wanted to talk to her, but Elsa just had to be persistent. The first time she felt confident enough to approach someone who intrigued her, she ruined everything. She should have known by the gloves, or by the look of anxiety she recognized too well. Images of fear in the younger girl's eyes, when the queen of Arendelle discovered her magic, flashed through her mind. In that moment, Elsa saw in Tanya the same person she was for the last seventeen years. Deep down, it scared her.

But she did not show it. She refused to pour her emotions out on her sleeve. Elsa was thankful she was good at concealing her thoughts in times like this. At least she thought so. Once again, Elsa left the party and took the royal couple to her study a few doors down. She brought two chairs over to her desk, and the three of them sat down.

"Is everything alright?" Elsa said concerned.

"We have just gotten message that our kingdom has fallen under attack. Our eldest son Anton is doing all he can to preserve Aldyn. He has yet to strike back in fear of starting a war. He's an adult now and can take care of himself, but refuses to make a decision without us present. Charlotte and I need to go back to resolve this conflict."

"I'm very sorry. This is very unfortunate, for all of us," Elsa replied in a queen-like tone. On one hand she was relieved it was not about her or Tanya at all. On the other hand, this was horrible news, and she did not wish for the king and queen to be this stressed out.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Elsa was not necessarily going to give in to anything they wished, but if she could help in at least the smallest way, she would.

"That's another reason why we wanted to speak to you. We wish to ask of you one more favor Elsa." The king took his wife's hands as he spoke. "Will you please, watch over our Tanya for us? Can you still teach her how to control the magic inside of her?" The king looked anxious.

Did Elsa know what she was getting into? Maybe not. But it was the fact that she was so intrigued at the unknown, which led her to say, "I will," and added, "Have you talked to her about your plans?"

The queen Charlotte nodded, "We will talk to her before we leave. She is old and mature enough to understand." The royal couple looked relieved. "We are in your debt your majesty. Because of the urgency of the message, we will be leaving in the next couple hours."

"That soon?" Elsa was surprised. How could people have that much energy to travel? Was it even safe at this time?

"You just arrived here, shouldn't you rest first before traveling all the way back? You are more than welcome to stay the night."

"I'm afraid we can't. The assault on Aldyn was very severe, and our son needs us at once."

"Our guards have already started packing and preparing our horses," Charlotte added. "We can make it back in about a week, if we travel fast and take few breaks. That's enough time for Anton to hold the kingdom together in the state it is in."

Their look of worry was blatantly seen in both of their eyes. They could not be making this up. It clearly was more important and severe than they wanted to express. Elsa knew that if she were in their shoes, she would want to race back to Aldyn as well. It was all happening so fast. Her hopes of meeting the girl with magic like her, Anna's wedding ball, giving away her younger sister to a man, and now Aldyn's sudden departure. She was just trying to process everything one thing at a time.

"Well, I definitely won't hold you back from leaving. Are there any provisions I can provide you with for your travel?"

"Oh no, we are quite alright, we have everything we need. We saw to that we were prepared before we left. We are so sorry to take you away from your sister's party, there is probably so much you need to attend at once."

"It's really no problem at all," Elsa said though she was a bit overwhelmed. She continued to say, "If you decide to change your mind you are still welcome here. Before you and your men take off, I will meet you in the courtyard in the next hour."

Later that night most of the party had died off, though guests were still hanging around and talking to each other. However, many of them had retired for the night due to too many chocolates, and a little too much wine. Once Elsa got herself together and regained composure, she spoke with a few other gentlemen that wanted her attention.

Even Kurt came up to Elsa to strike conversation again. Though he was very charming, the queen did not try to lead him on. At least that is what she assumed he was doing, now that the alcohol had made his motives a little clearer. He definitely tried to grab and hold her hand, and asked twice to dance. Elsa made sure that when she turned him down, she would do it very respectfully.

Again, it was not like anything was wrong with Kurt in particular. And though he and Hans were brothers, she did not hold him accountable for his brother's actions. He did seem like a gentleman. But Elsa just was not interested, no matter how much she wanted to be. And she was not the type to lead anybody on, when she did not mean it. Nothing ever progressed much further than small talk acquaintances. That was the way Elsa wanted it to stay.

Elsa's mind though for the rest of the night was still on Tanya. The first moments of seeing the girl sitting all by herself, remembering the beauty in her face as she played the piano, as well as the panic in her face as she ran out the door.

While talking to people she found herself glancing around the room, to try to catch a sight of the elusive girl again. She felt more restless, much more than usual at least. But it got so distracting, she had to excuse herself once again to think in somewhere private.

In an empty hallway, Elsa paced back and forth with her hands on her head. A few lights were lit, though it was mostly dark. Perfect for this time in need of solitude. Her mind was racing all at once.

_Okay Elsa, get a grip now, _she thought. _You don't even know what this feeling is, or why you're feeling it at all. But as queen you have to be a good representative of Arendelle tonight. You can't let your emotions get in the way of your sister's big night. _

_She needs you there, Elsa told herself. This is not your night._

Once she got herself somewhat together, she came back out. Elsa made herself appear like if she just needed to go take care of something important.

From the courtyard, the stars glittered in the sky. They were exceptionally bright for that night. Really thinking about it, there wasn't much difference between stars and snowflakes. Both of them glittered with light, were impossible to count, and each one had its unique design. And Elsa was a creator of snow and ice. She wondered if there was a creator for stars as well.

Maybe in her imagination.

The queen melted the ice rink on the ground, so her guests would not slip and fall. She had to remember though gliding on ice was as natural to her as walking, it was not so for other people. The ice sculptures in the fountains still kept their frozen form, as well as the ice structures around the walls.

She was standing with her sister Anna and Kristoff, as they conversed with Rapunzel and Eugene from the kingdom of Corona. They were talking about their latest adventure, which just so happened to be their honeymoon.

"At least Eugene and Max weren't fighting each other as usual during the trip," Rapunzel said sarcastically.

"Hey, we don't fight! We just don't agree all the time," Eugene said jokingly and shrugged.

Elsa saw the king and queen on their white horses, approach the front of the gate.

The three of them wrapped up their conversation with the couple from Corona, and headed to meet their departing guests. Viktor and Charlotte were accompanied by only a few other men.

"Thank you Anna for the lovely night, again we are so very sorry for leaving early," the queen Charlotte spoke.

"It's no worries, at all! We're glad to have you here!"

"Well, we wish you and your husband the best and a happy marriage. And thank you Elsa for watching over our daughter," she said a little more quietly.

"She was in her room when we said goodbye to her, she refused to come out."

"I'll help in whatever way I can," Elsa said in a matter of fact way. "We wish you a safe and swift journey back."

"We won't forget your hospitality or your help," King Viktor said. "Now we must be off," he jerked his rope to motion the horses it was time to take off.

The small band rode off away from the castle, and out of Arendelle heading west, until they were out of sight.

Anna held Elsa's arm. "Is Tanya really staying with us? Why then did they leave so soon?"

"Their kingdom is under conflict, so they need to get back to assist their son. They told me only two hours ago."

"It must be pretty bad," said Kristoff.

"I wonder how Tanya feels about this," Anna said sympathetically. She was such a caring person.

"She wasn't even here when her parents left. Elsa, I really think you should go talk to her."

"I tried to earlier, but she didn't seem like she was in the mood for talking." It was partially true. More than likely, the ice queen was the last person Tanya wanted to talk to. But Elsa did not want to have to explain everything that happened between them to Anna.

"You should still try again. She probably would listen to you since you both have something in common," and by 'something,' Elsa knew that Anna meant their magical abilities. But Anna had promised her sister she would not mention the girl's powers to anyone else. That included Kristoff. At least for the time being.

Elsa sighed. "I suppose you're right, I should go and check up on her."

"You have to talk to her eventually after all. She is staying here in the castle."

"How long will she be here?" Kristoff asked the queen.

"I don't know. The king and queen never specified a time-frame. Likely after she learns how to control her abilities."

He frowned. "You should have asked them beforehand."

"You're probably right. They looked so troubled when I spoke to them, and I was distracted.

"Hey," Anna piped up. "There's not much we can do now, obviously since the king and queen just rode off. But what we can do is make Tanya feel at home here. Before you know it, she won't want to leave!"

But little did Anna know, she spoke too soon. Because when Elsa had gone back in the castle and upstairs to check on the girl, she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6 - Gone

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

Anna took Elsa's hands. "Where could she be?"

"Well she is certainly not in her room, and nowhere in the castle." It was late in the night, the ball had ended, and the castle staff was cleaning up the messes the guests made, from the busy night. Elsa had searched high and low for Tanya, but she had definitely disappeared.

"I checked high and low, and so did the staff. She's run away."

Elsa tried to keep it together. It was about what happened earlier in the library, she just knew it. Tanya probably had never shown her powers like that to anyone before, and she just did so to the queen of Arendelle. She probably was scared of being in trouble for her magic, and so she ran away. But Elsa kept this thought to herself.

Kristoff came running into the main hall, meeting the two sisters. "I just checked downstairs," he puffed. "There's no sign of her."

"What are we going to do Elsa?" Anna asked.

The queen opened her mouth to speak. But before she did, two guards hurried into the room. "My queen, we just heard that a girl had been sighted heading west in the mountains. We can send a team of men to go find her."

"No." Anna, Kristoff, and the guards looked at the queen all at once.

"I'll go alone."

If the queen went alone, she could approach the princess herself without intimidating guards around them. This way when she talked to Tanya, it would make her not feel like a wanted criminal.

"But your majesty, it's dangerous at this time of night. Wild beasts and bandits have also been spotted roaming the western mountain range," said the captain of the guard.

"There will always be wild animals and thieves. But with my powers, I'm more of a danger to them."

It was true. Over the past year, Elsa had been working on using her magic for self-defense. She would go out into the forest in the morning to practice, and hired instructors to teach her the basics on a regular basis. The queen had become much stronger and capable at protecting herself.

"I don't fear what's out there, but I need to do this alone. If I ordered guards to go and find her, our guests staying here will get the idea that something is wrong. It wouldn't be wise to send the wrong message."

"Elsa," Anna took her sister's hand. "You've always done things alone, let me and Kristoff help you. Let the guards go with you."

"You and Kristoff need to stay here and watch after the castle. I am certain enough in my powers that I won't get hurt."

"Pleeease…" Anna's words trailed off and her eyes were teary. She did not want her sister to leave again.

"I need you here Anna," Elsa gave her sister a hug. "I'll be back before you know it."

Elsa turned around to the guards. "Prepare my horse, I'm leaving at once!"

They moved fast, saddling her chestnut steed and arranging provisions for what the queen might need. Elsa changed out of her ice dress, and put on a light blue riding dress and royal blue cloak. She climbed up on her horse, which trusted her completely.

They were outside, and everyone looked up at the queen. A confident glow shone in Elsa's strong, pale face.

"If I am not back within a day, send men to go look for me."

The captain of the guard bowed and said, "At your command."

"Anna, stay strong for me."

Elsa looked over at Kristoff. "Make sure she doesn't do anything rash." Anna's fiancé gave a small smirk. She announced in a confident and queen-like voice, "I put my sister Anna and Kristoff in charge."

And just like that Elsa galloped off, without taking a second glance to see her family waving.

Elsa had rode west down the fjord for the next few hours, until she was too exhausted to stay awake. Near the bank she got off her horse, and stroked her steed's head.

"I think we both need a break now," she said gently to her horse.

The horse made a relieving grunt as the saddle was taken off his back. He plopped down to the ground to rest his legs.

The queen sat on the fallen mossy log near her companion, and ate the left over snack that was in her saddle bag from riding before. If only she had prepared instead of immediately taking off. Her actions back at the castle were pretty impulsive for her. It even took Anna, who was a very impulsive and spontaneous person, off guard to see her sister act unlike herself. Elsa could not exactly explain the reason why she acted in that manner. It threw her off too.

She thought of Tanya again, this time watching her play piano, the gaze of her eyes watching her fingers move gracefully along the keys. Elsa was very aware of her surroundings and details, and when people were watching her. Especially when she felt somebody else's eyes on her. Her gaze was different than when Anna watched her sister play.

Elsa had taught Anna how to play basic songs on the piano, when she sparked interest in learning. But it was not about learning for Tanya. It was something else. The feel of her body pressed right next to the queen's, so they could both fit on the bench. The natural warmth, which came from Tanya's fiery magic, against Elsa's own cold. It was a new sensational feeling that intrigued the queen.

Though it was getting very chilly especially being near the water, it did not bother Elsa much. She wished however she was able to make a fire, at least for her horse.

Then it occurred to Elsa.

A fire, of course.

It was definitely cold enough where Tanya might want to make a fire to keep warm. If she was anything like herself, her magical effects would react the opposite to hers. She would be a little more sensitive to the cold, like how Elsa was more sensitive to heat. Not that the heat bothered her, but it was not the kind of temperature she preferred.

Elsa went to an opening next to the bank of the fjord, and scouted out if she could see signs of smoke. Since it was darker, it would be harder to really see anything farther away.

Then just a little farther to the west, she saw a small puff of smoke rise from the trees.

Her intuition was right after all.

She walked back to her steed and grabbed the saddle. Her horse looked up at her tiredly.

"I'm sorry," Elsa coxed her horse. "We only have to walk just a little ways."

The flame from the fire grew brighter and brighter between the trees. It was not hard for Elsa to follow the glow.

She imagined what she was going to say to Tanya, and how she would try to convince her to stay at the castle. Would she apologize first and explain everything? Should she mention her parents? Or beg her to stay? Not that she was desperate for her to do so.

It reminded her of when she herself ran away to the North Mountain, and made herself a castle out of ice. Anna had tried to convince her to come back home with her, but Elsa had refused. When Anna said that she had caused an eternal winter, she lost it and her powers accidently pierced her sister in the heart. She knew she should have listened more thoroughly, and talked it out. But her fear was so overwhelming, and so was the pressure put on her to come back home. Elsa never wanted to live her whole life like a caged animal, she wanted to be who she was.

This was possibly how Tanya was feeling right now.

She came to a little clearing where there in fact was the princess, huddled next to a fire she was fueling. When she saw Elsa, she immediately stopped the flame coming from her hand, and stood up.

"What are you doing here," she demanded.

"What are you doing out here? Why did you run away?" Elsa said calmly. She thought it might be wise to hear her point of view first, before asking her to come back.

"I'm going back to Aldyn. I want to know why my parents just left me here without telling me."

"Your parents didn't tell you they were leaving?"

"No, they never tell me anything. They think they can leave me behind and leave me out to dry. I knew something was fishy about this whole trip. They wanted to get rid of me." Tanya folded her arms.

"That's not true," Elsa approached the girl. "Your parents told me that they already spoke to you about it. You didn't know before?"

"Not at all. And I'm going back home to ask them why they abandoned me here in Arendelle."

"There's war going on in Aldyn. Your brother needs them there, and they thought it would be safer for you to stay here."

"More like they would be safer if I was far away from them as possible. They're afraid of me burning the kingdom down."

"They want you to learn how to control your powers," Elsa shot back.

"See, they don't trust me. I'll have you know, I can control my powers perfectly. I know who I am, and I know how my powers work. They are scared and afraid of me and what I can do."

"They're you parents, they love you."

"No they don't," Tanya gave a sarcastic laugh. "I've just been a burden to them my whole life. To them I just destroy things. That's all my magic is good for."

"You're wrong, you are meant for more than that."

"How do you know?" Tanya's hands were turning to warmish hues. "You don't even know me! Who do you think you are anyway to stop me from going back?"

Elsa was full of emotion. It started to snow hard all around her, putting Tanya's fire out. "I was confined in my room for thirteen years, thinking I was a monster. You don't even know me either!" Once she saw the surprised look on Tanya's face, Elsa ceased the swirling storm.

"All I want to do is help, and listen. But you need to come back with me to Arendelle."

"No," Tanya said in a frightened whisper. "I shouldn't be near you," she backed up slowly and ran into the woods.

Great.

Elsa sighed. Even when she tried her best to talk to the younger girl, she blew it. She should have controlled her emotions more. But what Tanya said to her struck a nerve. However, Elsa knew she needed to mend things.

The queen signaled for her horse to follow her back through the trees, the direction Tanya went. She could see a glow in the distance, which meant Tanya wasn't too far ahead. For ten minutes she chased after the girl, following her light, until it suddenly went out.

That's strange, Elsa thought. Maybe she got a hold of her emotions.

It did not take long to realize that she was wrong.

In front of her she saw Tanya tied up and unconscious.

Elsa did not have enough time to process what was going on, until she felt a whack to the back of her head. Everything turned dark. She fell to the ground, and her thoughts went to a blank.

Back in Arendelle, Anna was pacing back and forth. She did not like her sister being away for so long, it was not safe at night. A series of "what if" questions played out in her head. She could have tripped and fell, wolves might have chased her, or…

Kristoff hugged her tightly. "Hey it's going to be alright. Elsa's a very capable person and would never act without thinking things through."

"But the way she acted before she left, she was being rash then," Anna in a frustrated manner, took a bite out of a chocolate bar she held in her hand.

"Your sister is very strong, her ice powers will protect her. I have a hundred percent faith in her. But we need to be patient, after all a day hasn't even passed yet."

Anna relaxed in her fiancé's arms. "I guess you're right, I just need to wait and have faith in her."

A friendly snowman waddled up to the couple with a smile on his face.

"Hey guys, is Elsa back yet?" Olaf asked.

"Not yet," Anna replied.

"Oh, hopefully she'll be back soon. Look at the clouds in my flurry."

"Is there something wrong?"

The snowman pointed upwards with his stick arm.

"Some of the clouds are turning darker. They've never done that before. I just wanted to ask Elsa when she gets back if anything's wrong."

Olaf was right, a few small clouds in the middle were turning to a darker grey color.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to call it a night!" A big smile returned to his face and headed upstairs.

"See if Olaf isn't worried, we shouldn't be either," Kristoff said to Anna.

"But what about his clouds? Something must be wrong with Elsa, or her magic wouldn't do that to Olaf's flurry."

"She could just be stressed out. People stress out from time to time."

But this was Olaf's flurry they were talking about.

She chuckled half-heartedly. "Okay, I'll wait. She'll be back here before we know it."

Deep inside, she knew something was wrong. Maybe it was her intuition or sisterly connection, but she knew something bad had happened to Elsa.


	7. Chapter 7 - Escape

Elsa woke up with a headache, and the back of her head throbbing. She realized that she was tied to a chair with her hands in metal locks. Her mouth was stuffed with a rag, and a tall man stood next to her with a sword near her neck.

She peered over to left, and Tanya was in the same predicament. However the princess was still unconscious with her head bent forward.

Where were they? They were in a dimly lit room, with light shining through the ceiling. It was a cell. She slowly put it together that the room was rocking back and forth. They were on a ship. Muffled voices could be heard from the floor above. So there was a full crew as well. The man noticed she had woken up, and yelled for another guard.

Elsa felt dizzy.

And then she felt sick.

Had she been drugged?

Or was it just seasickness?

She wanted to throw up.

Either way, she could not think straight.

An older man with a long grey beard and dressed in darkly colored robes walked through the door. He was accompanied by two other men in dark, yet ragged clothes. All three of them carried swords and had scars on their faces.

"I see you've finally woken up," the bearded man announced.

Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She could not get the words to sound like what she wanted to say, and it came out as a groan in pain.

"You and yer friend will be fine, the poison won't kill ye."

So they had been drugged.

"It was a stroke of luck to run across you two beautiful ladies. By the look of ye, you could be worth something. Maybe even royalty," those last words, the man said in certain tone of voice, as if he knew something. "Anyway, you'll fetch a fine price back home."

She felt her hands get cold with emotion. But she was not able to freeze her cuffs off. Instead, all she could do was make it snow around her.

The old man was shocked at first, but then a nasty grin came over his face.

"So are ye a witch eh? A sorceress? Trying to hurt the captain of this ship?" The man pointed at himself and guffawed.

She was not a witch. She was nothing like a witch, nor any sort of monster.

"I'm sure you and your friend here will go over well in the market."

Were they were going to be sold as slaves?

A call from the upper deck sounded the captain, and he looked up. Elsa noticed the ship was rocking in a rougher motion. The captain said something to his guard about a storm, and to give Elsa and the other girl more poison. He left going upstairs, leaving two guards behind to watch her.

Elsa did not want to take the poison, but it was hard not to when there was a sword next to her neck threatening her. She swallowed slowly, and within minutes, she blacked out again.

The queen woke up with heavy eyes. Her first thought; Tanya. The younger girl was still tied up next to her with her head bent backwards. Her ashy light brown hair fell almost to the floor, and shone like the moon. It was almost unreal how enchanted it looked. Her face had a gentle expression, with her pink lips parted slightly open. This was the first time Elsa had seen her look vulnerable. Despite their sticky situation, she was passed out with a peaceful expression, which was quite contradictory to what they should be feeling.

Tanya was beautiful.

Elsa snapped out of it. Luckily Tanya was out cold, and could not see her staring like a dumb vegetable.

The three guards were still there. But they were asleep, sitting up against the wall, with their swords in their hands.

They must assume we're still unconscious, the snow queen thought. If they realize I'm awake again, they'll just give me more poison.

Elsa decided if she and Tanya were going to escape, she could not let the pirate guards know she was conscious. She would remain as still as possible, until she could feel her powers come back to her. Then she would break by freezing the ship. She had taken self-defense lessons from private instructors just a few months ago, and could also use her powers protect them. The problem was how she and the girl would escape the ship, being out at sea.

For a while, she thought long and hard, trying to at least think straight again. Her thick cloud in her head slowly started to evaporate, once the effects of the poison wore off. And then, an idea struck her mind. Elsa knew how they were going to escape the pirate ship.

The pirates guarding them were still asleep, luckily for Elsa. Now was her chance. If they woke up, which they would, they would give away their escape from the room. She did not want to strike them with a blast of ice, she did not want to permanently damage someone for life. Scanning the room full of crates and barrels, she did see something she could use.

A frying pan? It will have make do.

Elsa took a deep and silent breath.

This was it.

She slowly let her icy magic freeze the chains on her and Tanya's hands. While that was happening, she froze the clothes the pirates were wearing to the wall, so they could not move or get up. It would be uncomfortable, but not hurt them.

She could feel the metal getting colder and colder. Finally, similarly to when she was locked up in Arendelle's prison, the metal cuffs and the ropes turned to ice and shattered. At the same exact moment, so did Tanya's.

Freedom.

Tanya, unconscious, fell off her chair onto the ground face first. The guards woke up from the loud noises. But before they could process what was going on, Elsa whacked each one in the head with the frying pan.

They were out cold.

Elsa held up her nifty pan. What a useful yet unusual weapon, this could come in handy. Swords are overrated anyway, she thought. She heard irregular footsteps shuffling on the deck above her. They must have heard me, the queen panicked.

She picked up the princess off the ground, and lifted her body weight onto her shoulder. Tanya was small enough that she did not weigh much, though Elsa almost lost her balance lifting her up.

Hurrying up the stairs, she heard men's voices shout. There was no way she could take on a whole crew of pirates. She would have to try and sneak around them. Meanwhile she could feel her magic flowing from her hands, gradually starting to freeze the ship from the bottom up. She mustered all she could from within to speed up the process, though it was working at a slower rate. Completely freezing the ship was their ticket out.

Elsa hid around the corner, as a small group of pirates ran past to check downstairs. She continued her way across the hall, hoisting the girl over her shoulder.

There were shouts not too far away.

They had discovered they were missing.

As quick as she could, Elsa made her way to the end of the hall. In front of her was a fancily engraved door. Probably the captain's room. Not knowing what to expect, she slung the door open. The captain could be inside for all she cared, she could handle him. She just needed out.

It was empty.

In front of her was a huge glass window, which could be her point of escaping the ship. Elsa shot her ice at the window, freezing and then shattering the fragile glass.

Carrying Tanya, she came to the window and started freezing the ocean water. She could also feel the ship starting to become more buoyant, as her powers regained strength. The water from the ocean slowly formed into a shape of a ship made from ice. It was a small boat and had no sail, but it would do.

Anything to get off the pirate ship. Slave ship. Whatever this forsaken boat was.

Before Elsa could jump out the window with the girl, she heard a voice from behind.

"Where do you think yer going?"

The queen spun around, only to see it was the captain standing in the corner. He had been there, watching them the whole time.

"Yer not getting away girl, not from this ship."

"That's what you think!" exclaimed Elsa.

Though she did not intend on hurting the captain, despite how bad he was, she shot icicles at him. They formed into a small prison, trapping him inside like bars.

"No!" The captain roared. "You are not getting away! You won't make it out on the sea!" The captain yelled angrily and his face was tomato red.

"I can certainly try!" Elsa had fully regained her powers.

With running start and a mighty blast of ice, she jumped out the window with Tanya on her back. She saw her life flash between her eyes, as the waves crashed below her. But she was going to make it. She had to, for the both of them. Before reaching the icy deck of her ship, Elsa formed a large pile of snow, softening their landing. She got up immediately, and continued freezing the pirate ship.

In a matter of seconds, the ice reached the tip of the mast and the ship was frozen solid. The wood of the ship turned to pure ice. But like ice, it became lighter, and its weight became less dense. Fate decided to take another turn.

As Elsa's boat floated farther from her captors, the ship, taller than it was wider, fell to its side. The men on the ship, as the queen watched afar with horror, did not have time to react. The pirates fell into the frigid sea, and the cold water swept through the large ship. Screams of men sounded everywhere. It was the sound of death. Men were dying, and she was responsible for it.

No…

Holding Tanya in her arms to keep her warm, Elsa fell to her knees as the pirate ship was overtaken by the giant waves. Though it would not sink, because ice floats, all the men on board would drown or freeze to death.

No.

It was a horrid ringing through her ears. She held on to Tanya tightly, burying her face in her hair.

This can't be happening.

This was how her parents had perished, on a boat at sea because of a wild storm. Elsa did not even have the courage to say goodbye to them at their funeral. At least not without losing it and letting her powers run wild. A vision of watching her parent's portrait being hung up on the wall, came through her mind. It was put up after their death, like the rest of the royal portraits. But this time, she was the cause of death. She did not mean to hurt anyone.

But it is happening. And I'm responsible.

She let out a wail of anguish, and cried holding the girl. Tears flowed down her face and it started to drizzle rain. The ice ship floated on over the waves as she mourned.

Anna woke, letting out a scream.

Kristoff and her childhood maid Gerda flew into the room, after they heard the younger girl.

"Is everything alright?" Kristoff exclaimed.

"Sweetie what's wrong?" Gerda added in a panicked tone.

The princess caught her breath as she shakily lit the candle on her nightstand. Olaf was right there sitting by her side. He was silent but his face was full of worry. He was watching out for her that whole time.

"Are you okay Anna?" The snowman said gently.

"Yeah, yeah… I'm okay. It was just a nightmare."

Kristoff sighed, "Only a nightmare? It sounded like you were hurt."

"Well it kind of did," a tear fell from Anna's face. "It was about Elsa."

Gerda was the first to speak up. "Oh dear, I'll leave you two be. How about I go and bring back some tea?"

"Thanks Gerda," said Kristoff.

After her maid left, Kristoff finally spoke up holding his distraught wife-to-be. They had postponed the wedding until Elsa could be there. But now, they had no idea how long that would be. "What was your dream about?"

"She was hurt. Elsa was in pain and crying in her own storm. It was just like how I saw her crying on the fjord, before saving her from Hans. But it wasn't on the fjord. And instead of watching her, I was in her body. Not actually in her body, but seeing everything from her point of view. If that makes sense."

Olaf took her hand in his.

"Have you heard from her yet? Are the guards still searching?" She asked.

"There's been no sign of her yet."

"It's been five whole days! Elsa said she would be back within a day."

"She's probably still just trying to find Tanya, I'm sure she is safe."

"How do you know? Elsa wouldn't just disappear like that. Something wrong has happened to her, I just know it." Anna got up from her bed. "I'm going to go find her."

"Whoa there, just wait a second. You can't go out there by yourself."

"I have to find her, she's in trouble!"

"Slow down for a second! She needs us here, to take care of Arendelle!"

Anna stopped in her tracks.

"You and Elsa are the only heirs to the throne… so we need to be here for the kingdom. We have a new responsibility now. If Elsa really is gone… you're all Arendelle has left." It was the hard truth, but it needed to be said.

"Kristoff…" Anna burst in tears into his big arms. He kissed her head.

"It's going to be ok."

"She has to be alive, she has to."

Olaf spoke up, "Um guys? Some of my clouds are getting darker." Indeed it was true. The clouds that were already grey in color had darkened and multiplied.

Gerda came back into the room with a pot of herbal tea.

"Everything will be okay. But right now you need to rest," Kristoff reassured both of them.

Exhausted, Anna just nodded taking a small sip of her tea. She slipped back into the covers, as the three of them walked out.

The Kristoff turned to Olaf. "Why don't you stay with Anna? After all Elsa made you, and she needs her sister."

The snowman agreed it was a good idea, and walked back into the room holding his own cup of tea. Not the smartest thing for a snowman to do. Olaf was still learning about what heat and hot things actually were.

"Gerda is there nothing else we can do?" He said after Olaf was out of hearing range.

"I'm afraid the guards are doing all they can," her eye's saddened. "The most important thing you need to be doing, is staying strong for Arendelle, and especially for Anna. If the queen, Elsa, really is gone, Arendelle looks to you and Anna. I raised the princess since she was just a baby. Right now she is in a very emotional state, and if her sister never comes back… she will be that way for a very, very long time. She needs you to be strong for her."

Kristoff did not want the queen to be gone. Elsa was very capable of taking care of herself, she was independent like that. But he was realistic, and considered the possibility that she was gone. However he did not want to rush into conclusions. That would only upset Anna even more. He had no idea what he was going to do. He was just an ordinary mountain man who sold ice for a living. How could he even support a whole kingdom?

One person came to his mind immediately. Anna.

He would do whatever it took to take care of Anna, even if a whole kingdom came with her as well. After all, he loved her.


	8. Chapter 8 - Trusting the Girl

_Maybe I am the monster everyone thought I was._

Only a day had passed since their escape, and the horrible tragedy. But to Elsa, it felt like a lifetime. Her mind was moving at a different rate than time itself. The worst part about it was Elsa had done it on purpose. She had not wanted to hurt, let alone kill anybody. Yet that was exactly what happened.

This exact thing was what Elsa most feared her entire life. Growing up, she never wanted to go outside or be there for her sister. She was too afraid of hurting her sister again or someone else that got too close. As a child she unintentionally hit Anna in the head with a blast of ice, while they were playing in the ballroom. It was a complete accident her sister got hurt. But what everyone had said to her from then on, was to conceal and hide her magic within. And this time, it was not an accident. She was fully responsible.

Elsa's mind since the shipwreck had gone into shock, processing life's moments in bits and fragments. Everything happening in front of her seemed choppy. Only certain thoughts played out in her mind, like fragments from a movie.

_Murderer._

_Pirates._

_Killer._

_Anna. _

_Fear._

_My fault._

_Tanya…_

She did not know exactly why she was thinking of the princess so much, or why she crossed her mind at all. She did not even want Elsa near her, when all the queen had wanted to do was be her friend. Now she was still unconscious, while Elsa carried Tanya on her back. The heartbeat of the younger girl beat against Elsa's back, and reverberated into her own heart.

Their ice ship she created had landed on a coastline foreign to her, not too long after their getaway. At least that's how it felt to Elsa. However, nothing around her looked or felt familiar. The sky was completely overcast, so she did not know which direction to travel. The queen decided to walk along the coast. That was their best bet for finding their way to a town, or any place to get help.

Her muscles felt weak, and noticed a few bruises around her wrists and ankles. It was probably due to being tied up. Her clothes were dirty, and had some rips in her dress. But besides being sore, she Elsa was not severely injured or hurt. At least physically. Her heart was another matter.

Suddenly, Tanya moved on her back. She was waking up.

Elsa stopped and slowly moved the girl from her back onto the tall green grass. Instantly after she did, there was pain in her back.

"Where…?"

Tanya looked around at her surroundings. Once she noticed the queen in front of her, her eyes grew wide.

"Elsa?"

"How are you feeling?" She knelt beside the princess.

The girl took a second to process the question, as she massaged her own back. "I'm okay, but where are we?"

"We escaped."

"Escaped? How in the world did we manage to do that?"

Well, it involved me rescuing us both, and carrying you the whole time, the queen thought.

"I used my powers to get us out."

She looked surprised at the mention of magic, but then Tanya remembered.

"Oh..."

"Oh?" That's all Tanya could say?

"I shouldn't be anywhere near you."

Not this again. Elsa could feel a small storm brewing inside her.

"Nowhere near me? I saved our lives!"

"I have to go…" Tanya blushed, and said embarrassed. Her weak legs stumbled a bit while getting up off of the ground, but Elsa stopped her.

"You aren't going anywhere, until you explain why you desperately need to get away from me. What's so wrong about me?"

"Your...," she stopped to think of a word, "...powers," the princess said decidedly.

"Excuse me? My powers were what saved us both back there, and for a cost!"

"Your magic is made of ice and snow and mine is the essence of fire and heat. Did it ever occur to you for a second, those two were not meant to be near each other?"

"What do our abilities have to do with getting along? I'm not talking about powers anyway, I'm talking about you and me. My powers don't define who I am, and neither do yours!"

"But we're both technically dangerous to each other. Imagine what they could do," she said in a lower voice, "I don't want to hurt you."

"Well, I promise I'm not going to hurt you," the queen said softly. But after what happened back at sea, Elsa did not know if it was entirely true. It's not like she exactly trusted herself at the moment.

"Don't promise anything you can't keep," it was if Tanya could read her mind.

"Fine." That got Tanya's full attention. She did not expect Elsa to agree with her. "But I do promise you can trust me."

"If I can really trust you. Tell me the truth then about why I even came to Arendelle. I don't believe that my parents just left me here because war broke out in Aldyn." She made quotes in the air with her fingers. "Trust me, my brother knows how to take care of himself."

"They didn't give any other reason other than that. I'm just as confused right now as you," Elsa said sadly.

"I don't believe you."

"I'm not asking you to. But from what I could tell about your parents, they do care about you, even if they do a crummy job of expressing it. And though they didn't say it themselves, I think they wanted you to be around someone you could truly relate with."

Tanya thought about what the queen said. "Well… I guess on some level that's accurate. I've never felt very accepted around anyone."

"Trust me, I know what that's like. Maybe not in the same way you do, but to some level."

"People have always been wary or cautious around me. As if I'm bad luck or fortune. Even my family, especially my brother Anton. He never acknowledges me. He's always absorbed in his own world. And with good reason they should be suspicious around me. After all it's pretty obvious the Aldyn prophecy's about me."

Elsa became more alert. "Wait, prophecy? What prophecy? Your parents didn't mention anything about a prophecy."

"Wow they really didn't tell you much, did they?" She said with amazement. "Well as the legend has it, a long time ago the royal prince of Aldyn was hunting in the woods. As he came to a creek, he noticed up in the tree, a beautiful red bird made from flame. It was the great firebird. Greedy as he was, he wanted to capture and stuff the bird for his freaky taxidermy collection. Like as a sort of trophy. The firebird was completely unaware that the prince was there, and noticed him after the arrow was shot. Before it could fly away, the arrow struck its heart. When the prince came over to collect his prize, the firebird spoke the curse through its last breaths. Though its physical body was dying, its spirit would live on, and one day be reincarnated into the royal line. Those would be Aldyn's last days, and the kingdom will be under fire and flame. That's how it goes anyway."

Tanya paused, "It's obvious that the prophecy's me. I hold the firebird's spirit, and that's why my parents are so afraid. Because I'm going to bring destruction to my own home."

"I don't believe you're the prophecy."

"You promised to tell the truth."

"I really don't believe it's you," the queen said in all honesty.

"I wish I could believe that as well," there was openness in the girl's voice. Elsa heart went out for the girl. She wanted to run over and hug Tanya tightly, like she did on the ice ship. But she restrained herself.

"So what are we going to do now?" Tanya said calmly.

"You aren't going to run away from me again?" There was a bit of teasing in Elsa's voice.

"I think you're alright, for the most part," Tanya smiled. "And I'll make sure you won't get hurt, by me or anyone else."

The princess looked down at Elsa's face, and her eyes traced up her body, and into her own. Elsa felt her heart beat faster and started to feel nervous. But it was a good nervous.

A good nervous? Good grief. That makes absolutely no sense.

Tanya woke up from her gaze, and said, "I still need to find my answer, I believe there was another reason they left me in Arendelle."

"If there's no way of stopping you, then I'm going with you," Elsa was surprised that even came out of her mouth.

"I guess you can come too, I don't really like being alone anyway."

"Plus it's safer if we stick together. I don't want to risk the possibility of running into those men again."

"There's no way I'll let that happen again. It happened that once because I wasn't paying attention for a split second. It's funny though, they looked sort of familiar."

"What do you mean?"

"There was one man I swear I've seen before."

"We should probably keep that in mind. If you have really seen them before, they could be following us."

"I doubt it. But if they are, they won't be so lucky next time," small sparks flew from the princess' hand.

"Whoops, I didn't mean to do that."

"No please, don't hold back," Elsa scooted closer to the girl. "Just let it all out. You can be who you truly are."

She smiled at the queen, it was one Elsa had not seen before until now.

"Do you want to see a trick?" The queen attempted to move conversation on a lighter subject.

"Sure."

Elsa formed a snowy orb while cupping her hands together. Tanya watched intently. The ball formed into a new shape, with a head, beak, wings, feet, and a tail. The queen brought the snow shaped bird close to her mouth, and gently blew on it.

It turned to life.

The bird's wings spread in the palms of Elsa's hands, and took flight. It had soft eyes and sang a sweet song. When she whistled and held out her hand, the bird landed and perched on her index finger. The snow was the purest white, and its beak and feet made from ice. It was in a shape of a blue jay.

"It's beautiful," Tanya said and then whispered under her breath, "just like you."

_It is beautiful._

_Wait._

_What? _

Elsa could feel her cheeks get hot. There was no doubt she was blushing, her skin was so fair it was obvious. It was really no fair. She turned her head so the princess would not see, but it was too late. Tanya already noticed and was smiling at her.

_Did she just try to flirt with me?_

The queen changed the subject.

"I bet you can make one like mine."

"From my fire? No I don't think it works like that."

"Just try," she encouraged Tanya.

"Well… I'll try..."

Hesitantly, Tanya started forming a ball of fire in her own cupped hands. With her fingers, she molded it into a bird shape, and then breathed life onto her creation. The bird flew out of her hands in a burst of light, and flew high into the sky. It expanded its wings full of fire and might, and flew back down. It perched itself on Tanya's hand. Despite being made from fire, it did not burn her finger. In fact, it did not burn anything. The bird was in a shape of a cardinal.

Tanya laughed for the first time and exclaimed, "You were right, just look! But I don't understand, why it's not burning anything down?"

"I think," Elsa started, "it's because it's alive. The bird has its own mind and power, though you control it. You're intent wasn't to destroy, rather the opposite. While molding it, you kept that in mind, wanting to bring life and not death. Similarly to mine. Maybe our powers are not so different."

Both of the birds suddenly took to the sky, and flew around each other in circles. They flew over to the tree a few feet away from them, and landed on a branch. They sat against one another and started touching beaks.

Elsa's heart skipped a beat. This was getting increasingly uncomfortable for her.

"It's like they're... kissing," Tanya said softly.

"No, they're just grooming each other," She said a bit abashed.

The princess laughed. "It's cute."

_So she thinks it's cute._

"I guess so. I guess they are, I mean," that was the only thing that could come out of the queen's mouth.

"I meant you silly, the way you blush like that."

For the first time, Elsa felt like she was on fire. She was caught, and couldn't hide her red cheeks or sweaty palms.

"Thank you."

_Thank you? That's all you could say to her? Thank you?_

Elsa could not come up with the right words to say back, so instead she said, "Maybe they can send a message to Arendelle."

Tanya went with it, "It's worth a shot."

The queen whistled the two birds over and asked, "Could you fly to Arendelle, to let everyone know we're safe? And can you stay with Anna to make sure she's alright?"

The birds chirped back, and took off into the sky. They headed back towards the sea in the opposite direction. From their view, the birds looked like two bright stars once they were far enough away.

"We should probably keep walking and looking for a town, before it gets dark. Are you alright to walk?"

"I think so," the girl got up from the grass. But Tanya could only move her legs so much, before they started shaking.

Elsa came beside her and wrapped her arm around the waist, to help keep her from falling. Her skin felt warm.

They made their way down the coast, until far off in the distance they saw lights near the bluff. Fortune was on their side, that it was in fact a town with a port. There they could find a place to sleep, get some new clothes, and even get directions to Aldyn. There was no going back to Arendelle at this point.


	9. Chapter 9 - At the Squidside Inn

The snow was blowing furiously along the frozen solid fjord. Elsa could only see a couple feet ahead of what was around her. But she was on her knees, hands over her face, crying in hysterics. As well as her own, she could hear other voices crying out in the storm. Her blonde hair was messily blowing in different directions, and her tears made her eye makeup smear. She was a mess. Suddenly a dark shadow stood before her, casting a shadow on the queen.

Hans?

The shadow came closer to the crying queen, and raised an arm. The silhouette of a sword appeared in his hand. Hans did not change out of his shadow-like form, and swung down his sword to kill her.

A cry came out.

"No!"

Anna?

Elsa saw her sister appear out of nowhere, and ran in between her and Hans. Anna stuck out her arm as if to block the blow of the sword. And then slowly, she turned into a frozen ice statue, starting from the tips of her fingers to her feet.

Once Hans' sword hit the frozen Anna, his shadow burst and disappeared into the blizzard.

"Anna!"

But Elsa's screams could not bring her sister back. She quickly got up to face the frozen ice statue that was Anna. But as the queen placed her hands on her sister's face, she realized her face was in fact Tanya's.

"No…"

It couldn't be.

But it was. Elsa held the girl who saved her live tightly in her arms, and closed her eyes. She whimpered as silent tears came down her cheeks like ice crystals. And then, tenderly she kissed the corner of the statue's mouth. The storm suddenly stopped and stood still. Elsa could see what was all around her. She was not on Arendelle's fjord, but rather aboard her ice ship on the sea. There were things floating in the calm water. They were in the shape of… bodies. Of the pirate crew that drowned by her hand.

Dead bodies.

Hundreds of them.

Elsa woke up, sitting straight up, heart pounding. It was just a dream. It was the same one which kept haunting her nights. She turned over on the couch she was sleeping on, and saw that Tanya was sleeping soundly in the bed.

There was nothing to worry about, she was safe.

Flashes of the nightmare kept her up for another good hour. She could almost feel the delicateness of Tanya's cheeks, cupped in her own hands. Her beautiful light brown hair. The curve of her nose.

The urge to kiss her.

_What?!_

_No… _

She couldn't.

She didn't.

It wasn't like that at all.

The queen snapped out of her own thoughts, and tried thinking of something else. Anything else to get her mind off of Tanya.

She did not have to distract her thoughts for very long. The moon shining through the window lulled her back to sleep.

Arendelle became a lonely place again for Anna. She never thought she would feel this way after she and Elsa mended their relationship. But now that Elsa had been missing for a long time, she was sinking into a depression. She never wanted to leave her room, though sometimes she had to. To fill in for Elsa. Her sister.

She's gone.

Anna had to slowly consider the possibility her sister was not coming back. Elsa, who she loved so much, the only family she had.

Just gone in an instant, like that.

The princess rolled around in her bed, and turned to the other side. Gerda came into the room.

"Princess Anna, are you awake?"

Anna could only muster up a grunt. She did not like ignoring anyone, especially Gerda, and could not even if she tried.

"Oh sweetie, you have to get up. It's already in the afternoon."

Anna moved onto her back to see the older lady. Her hair was probably in a giant poof of a mess, but she did not care. Gerda had seen her when she looked her worst before.

"You have been spending so much time in bed, and haven't eaten at all. It's not healthy. Kristoff's very worried for you."

Oh yeah. Kristoff.

"I know it has been extremely hard for you. But we are trying all we can to find Elsa. There has been word coming from sailors, that some claimed to see a ship made out of ice."

"Could it be Elsa?" Anna piped up.

"It could be. Arendelle is farther north, where ice and snow isn't uncommon. But it's something you don't usually see late in summer."

"Oh."

"Why don't I lay out a cozy outfit for you, you can get out of bed, and well make you some nice soup. How does that sound?"

"Thanks, that sounds great," her voice was monotone.

Anna got dressed, went downstairs with her maid, and joined her and Kristoff for a bowl of chicken noodle soup. It actually tasted good. But Anna did not have much of an appetite. Her fiancé sat right next to her with his protective arm around her. Anna knew he did not like seeing her suffer.

"Why don't we take a walk through the garden?" Kristoff suggested. Anna knew the reason why he brought the garden up was because of Elsa. She loved the garden.

She nodded and said a quiet, "Okay."

They held hands as they walked in silence through the brick path. Anna did not want to talk, and Kristoff was perfectly happy with that. He was not as social as her anyway. But he did understand her, and that's what mattered.

They came to Elsa's favorite spot near the roses and sat on the bench. Anna simply just curled up into Kristoff, and he kissed her forehead. She started drowsing off.

Then she felt a nudge. "Look, up there," Kristoff pointed.

Two spots floating in the sky started growing and were moving closer to them.

"What is it?" She sounded more interested.

"I can't make it out, it's… a bird's on fire!"

"Huh?"

"See up there?"

Anna actually looked up to see what he was talking about. To her astonishment, it was true. There were two birds, and one of them was on fire. However the other one…

It was made out of ice!

Elsa!

The birds must be magical. Elsa must have made it!

The princess leaped from the bench and ran towards the castle, in the direction they were flying.

"Anna, wait!" Kristoff said as he ran after her.

But she did not wait up for him. Anna ran as fast as she could. Her sister was still alive!

It was late in the morning when the sun shone through the curtains of the room. Elsa felt the warm rays on her eyelids, and they shuttered open. She yawned. She did not even want to know what time, or even what day it was. They both had an exhausting week of running, getting captured, escaping, and traveling on their feet. They had not even one break during that whole time span.

Previously, Elsa and Tanya had been walking along the coast, trying to find the closest town. More like Elsa was walking, and supporting Tanya's weight the whole time. But Elsa did not mind having the girl close to her. She liked it very much. Maybe a little too much. But Elsa enjoyed being strong for somebody. With her sister Anna, it was different. She felt not necessarily obligated, but bound by a sisterly love to watch over and protect her. But with Tanya, she felt that same protectiveness taken to a whole new level. Elsa put one arm around the girl's waist, while Tanya wrapped her arm around Elsa's shoulders. Tanya grabbed for Elsa's hand. Immediately, the queen's palms became a little sweaty from nerves, and she avoided eye contact with the girl out of embarrassment. But Elsa did not let go of her hand.

The coast was rocky and steep in some parts. They had to climb over large boulders and up large hills, just to see that there were more up ahead. When it got to the point where Elsa was going to drop, they came close enough to a town that gave her enough energy to keep going.

Entering the town, there were a couple of big men by the gates. In the overalls and tunics they were wearing, they could have been fishermen just keeping the lookout.

Elsa tiredly asked them where the closest inn was. They pointed to the two story building just at the end of the main road. The queen thanked them and headed on her way with the girl. They did not offer to help with the limping girl, but they were probably scared of touching a girl that was not from town. Elsa definitely did not need, nor want their help after all. Besides she liked being the one supporting and holding on to Tanya. She was not going to let strange men touch her.

Exhausted, she walked up the steps of the inn and entered the doors. The sign read Geralt's Squidside Inn.

_That's a peculiar name_, Elsa thought.

The man at the front desk wore a sweater, fisherman's cap, and held a churchwarden pipe in his mouth. When he saw the two girls walk in, he immediately noticed their attire.

Elsa looked down on what she was wearing. Their dresses were very dirty and ripped up. The man's eyes were wide.

No wonder he's so confused. Two girls, alone and one injured, wandering alone in the middle of the night. We are probably the strangest thing that's come into town.

"Velcome to Geralt's Squidside Inn, how may I help you ladies tonight?" He spoke with an unusual accent Elsa was not accustomed to.

"Do you have a room available for the night? Or maybe two?"

"Ov course, ve are een fact an inn. I believe there eez a spare room upstairs dat is not being occupied."

"Can we reserve it?"

"I'll put it right on the leest for you, and give you ladies your key."

"Thank you, sorry for barging in like that. We've been traveling for a while now."

"I can see dat."

"Are there any good places to get new clothes, close by around here?"

The man paused and looked up and down at their dirty dresses. "Tell you vat. I have a couple spare robes you can have fer free. Ya girls look like you have traveled longer than you make eet out to be, and you would geet more use in 'em den I would."

"Really it's alright…"

"Compleements of Geralt. Now before I show ye up to yer rooms, dere eez a fivteen coin deposeet."

Elsa searched through her dress pockets, and her heart sank when she felt only empty space.

"I'm so sorry, I'm afraid that I have nothing."

_Those pirates must have looted all my money._

"I won't waste any more of your time, thanks for offering your generosity to us," Elsa felt silly for trying to rent a room when she could not even afford it. She started to head out the door with Tanya, who did not look well at all.

"Hang on dere. Ye don'd look like any of de normal travelers dat pass by. I don't know ver yer from, but yer een no shape to be walkeeng around at dees time of night. Eespecially wit' the girl. I can offer ya the room fer free for however she needs to heal up, eef you can run a few errands fer me."

"You mean it? I mean, of course, of course we will. We won't forget your kindness." Looks like they lucked out big time.

Geralt searched the inside of his desk and rummaged through a door-full of keys. "Ah here we go, dis eez eet." Elsa followed the man upstairs with Tanya, still supporting the girl with her arms. She was thankful for the grace and generosity this man was showing them. She would run any errands he wanted.

"Here ya go ladies, I'll leave ye be now. I'll knock on yer door once I leave the robes outside. Come down after ye've had some rest, and I'll leet ya know vat errands I vant you doing."

He let them be, and as Elsa closed the door gently, she immediately helped Tanya onto the bed.

"Ah…" Tanya gave a sigh of relief. "I don't know why my legs feel so sore."

Elsa was helping her take off her boots the same time she spoke. Then she pulled the stockings from the Tanya's ankles. Her legs were pale and smooth, but full of bruises. Tanya gave her a curious look as to what she was doing.

And then it hit Elsa.

_She thinks I'm undressing her._

The shorter girl saw the wide eyed expression on Elsa's face, but just laughed. "I think I've got it from here." She moved her hand from the bed, and it fell softly as a feather onto Elsa's. A sudden shock went through her veins.

She felt dizzy.

"Oh, sure, um, I'll let you get out of your own dress," Elsa laughed nervously, turned around, and went to the other side of the room to change out of her own dress.

As she took off her ratted up riding dress, Elsa decided she would sleep on the sofa near the window, letting Tanya take the bed. She undid the braid in her hair, leaving platinum wavy locks falling down her shoulders. Her blue undergarments were mostly dry, but she was too tired to even care. She hung the dress onto the coatrack in the corner, and then went to the wardrobe across from the bed. Inside were blankets she could use for the night.

"Hey, so I'll let you sleep on the bed now that I've found blankets…" As she turned around, she saw the princess watching her from behind.

This time Tanya was caught staring at her red-handed. And she knew it. The princess gulped, moving her eyes towards Elsa's gorgeous blues, and managed to say "Okay." From a sitting position, she fell back laying down on the bed. Elsa had no idea what was going on with herself. It seemed every time Tanya said something, did something, touched her, it struck all the nerves in her body. But she was beginning to like it.

"Hey Elsa?" The princess said quietly.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to thank you, for what you did."

The queen went over and sat down on the bed beside her. "It was no big deal, really. We were in trouble and had to escape that ship somehow. You were hurt and needed a crutch."

"But it was a big deal to me. Ever since I was a little kid, no one has ever done anything close to what you did for me. You helped me along for miles when I couldn't walk. You ran after me instead of just letting me go like everyone else. What I want to say is I…" Tanya looked like she was about to say something else, but changed her mind, "that you are a good friend, and I know I can trust you."

She placed a hand on Elsa's knee. Elsa put her hand on top of the girl's.

"Isn't that what... friends are for?"

Now that Elsa was fully awake, there was no way she was going to sleep. She looked over at Tanya sleeping on her side in fetal position, facing her. Her bedhead hair still kept its perfectly straight form. Elsa had no idea how hair could even work like that. She got up and stretched in the undergarments she slept in. She walked over to the wardrobe, and grabbed the blue cloak hanging up.

Before she went out, the queen washed her dress and waited for it to dry. There was no way she was going out in just a cloak and underwear. She sat on the bed next to the sleeping Tanya. There was literally nothing to do in the room except wait. Minutes seemed like hours to her. Elsa checked around the night table if there were any books to read, but to her disappointment there were not.

The queen played around with her magic a bit, forming various snowball shapes with her hands. Until a voice grumbled behind her. It was just Tanya, making sounds in her sleep. She looked so innocent when she was asleep, something Elsa was seeing a lot of lately. Her chest rose up and down, and her head was tilted to one side. Tanya's light brown hair was sprawled around the pillow, but throughout the night managed to stay perfectly straight, unlike her own hair. Elsa's hair in the morning had a wave to it, but it wasn't as out of control as Anna's.

Tanya had a face of an angel. Not in the way that she looked close to childish, but in that her face had a gentle appearance, almost delicate-like. Both of her cheeks had a slight rosy tint. The princess' skin was light, though not as fair as her own. Elsa even noticed a couple freckles dusted on her nose, which she had not noticed before. She had a practically flawless, yet unique beauty which Elsa loved. Her pink lips were slightly parted open.

They looked so soft. So perfect. So…

_Lovely._

The queen snapped out of her daydreaming.

No you mustn't feel, she told herself. You're the queen of Arendelle, and she… Exactly! She! You can't have feelings for her, no matter what they are or how confusing they are. It would never work anyway.

Elsa's heart sunk deep in her chest.

She finally realized what she was feeling, what she had felt the night of the ball when meeting Tanya for the first time. How nervous she felt all the time, and how the princess made her blush. How her hands would get sweaty, and her chest would pound so hard. How even just a touch was electrifying, and made Elsa feel like she was on fire.

Elsa wanted it, her, so much, but it was not realistic.

It could never happen.

Elsa placed her hand on Tanya's, and at the sudden movement, Tanya's eyes fluttered open. In silence, she looked up at Elsa with her stormy blue eyes. They were as blue as the cold, raging ocean that the pirate ship perished on…

It hurt Elsa's chest to think about that. She would not tell Tanya what happened that night, or the details of the escape. She would not burden the girl. Elsa made a promise that she could trust her, but what she had no recollection of would not kill her. She would keep her safe, even if that meant emotionally safe. The fact that Elsa had sunk a whole ship full of men was slowly killing her inside.

"Good morning," Elsa made herself smile, not removing her hand from Tanya's hand. She grinned back at her.

She stretched. "How long did I even sleep for?" The princess' question came out as a yawn.

"Just a couple days."

"Just a couple days?" Tanya jumped out of bed. "We have to get on our way! We can't just waste days to rest…"

But she realized she stood up to soon, when she stumbled on her bruised legs.

"Whoa there, with your legs wobbling like that, you should be taking it slow," Elsa caught the girl from falling.

"I'm pretty sure I can walk," Elsa withdrew her support, and sure enough she could.

"I think it would be a good idea if we stayed one more day here in town," the queen suggested.

"But we have to keep going!" Tanya protested.

"Not with you injured. Even if it's nothing serious, we wouldn't make much distance. And besides, I promised that good man Geralt, who let us stay here for free, we'd do errands for him."

Tanya grumbled and then sighed. "I guess so. I'm just so anxious."

"Don't worry over something you can't help, let's just enjoy a day in town, when you feel more stable and find the things we need."

"Well, I guess one more day won't matter."

"It will be fun, I promise," Elsa winked as she walked to the coat rack, and brought back their dried dresses. "Get changed, I'm not going out in my undergarments!"


	10. Chapter 10 - Help Is on the Way

It was a grey day in the town, but despite the gloomy weather, there were many people out. Apparently the dampness was common for that area, and they were near a marsh. From Geralt, Elsa learned that the town made most of their profit from fishing and trade. She could have put that together, seeing all the boats lined up next to each other near the docks. She asked him if that had anything to do with the unusual name of the inn. The inn owner said that it was simply based off a legend he had heard as a boy. When he would go fishing with his father, he would hear stories of a giant squid that could take down entire boats. Instead of being scared, he was fascinated by the tale, and wondered what else could live in the sea.

He named his business after a childhood tale. But to Geralt, it was not just a story from childhood. It was what he grew up with.

Once Elsa asked what errands she could run for him, he gave her a huge load of fish. It was his last catch, and he wanted to sell it to the traders from the south that were currently in town. The fish smelled horrible, and stunk the whole place. But somehow, the stench seemed to blend in with the rest of the salty sea air around them. As much as Elsa did not want to carry the stinky, slimy fish, she did not really have much of a choice. After all, she tried her very best to keep every promise she made.

"Can I help you out there?" Tanya asked as she watched Elsa try to carry the first load to the market.

"No I think I have it under con-"

Elsa realized that was not really a question, because Tanya automatically picked up a huge bag of smelly fish. She grinned at Elsa. Despite her legs, she was not going to let Elsa pull all the weight. The queen was surprised but then appreciative of the unexpected kind gesture.

"Oh, um thanks. But you need to watch out for-" She was cut off again.

"I'll be fine! Watch, I've got muscles of steel!" Tanya flexed and then grunted as she picked up the heavy load. "I really do, I swear!"

Elsa could not help but giggle, and place her hand over her mouth. She was so cute, trying to help despite her legs probably hurting tremendously. Tanya was doing it to impress her; that was evident.

The queen was amazed at how, during the short time that had passed, the princess had changed her attitude toward Elsa. She was still somewhat rash, independent, and outspoken, but had become more open and calm. But again, that could have been because Elsa dropped the subject about her powers. Would she try to shut Elsa out again if she mentioned her magic? Any magic in general? She was curious, how much control did Tanya really have over her powers? Was she just lying to Elsa? The queen needed to know these things, if she was going to try and help the princess. If she actually needed any.

"See? No problem, my queen!" Was that supposed to be a pet name?

Dumbly, as if to process Tanya's words, Elsa repeated, "My queen?"

The princess stopped and looked at her. She was beet red. "I- I mean, Elsa. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be addressing you like that." She was stuttering and dropped a few fish.

Elsa laughed, making Tanya even more embarrassed. However, she wasn't laughing at her, but in her own embarrassment. "You can call me whatever you want, I'm your friend after all." It was the first time either girl had acknowledged the relationship that was growing between them.

_Friend? Oh no, what if she doesn't think we're friends? What if she is using me to get back home to Aldyn?_

_What if she secretly hates me?_

_Or what if it's the opposite, she doesn't see me as a friend but something more? _

Regardless, Elsa had to open her mouth and say something, without going insane from letting more silence go by.

"Yes, I see you as my friend." In Tanya's eyes, there was a hint of something she could not make out. Was it disappointment?

_Oh no…_

Elsa did not mean to friend-zone her.

"What I mean is," Elsa continued to fix up what she just said, "that I trust you as a friend. I haven't had many people come through my life. Only my parents, my sister Anna, her fiancé Hans and his reindeer Sven, and the snowman

Olaf. I'm sure you met them at the party… Well, they're the only friends I've ever had. What I'm trying to say is…" Elsa was picking up the fish from the ground that Tanya dropped. She rambled just like Anna did when she was nervous. It was something so unlike herself, but then, she had never really had these feelings before either. It probably just ran in the family. Probably.

Tanya finished her sentence, "…that you mean a lot to me."

Elsa had no idea why the girl meant a lot to her, or like where these feelings were coming from. But she was pretty certain only she was experiencing them, mostly sure at least…

Then she had an urge to do something she had never done before. But they were in the middle of a market, full of big, burly fishermen and traders, all probably watching the two strange girls as they attempted hauling fish. Anyway, her urge was foreign and ridiculous, she could not trust it.

"You mean a lot to me too," Elsa said. There. Sweet and simple.

The girl's eyes lingered on Elsa for a few seconds too long, before she focused back on what they were supposed to be doing. There was a twinge in Elsa's back, from finally dropping the first load of Geralt's fish on the dock.

"I'm pretty sure this is where he told us to put it," she said, eyes stuck on Tanya. Unfortunately for Elsa, she planted her foot on something slippery on the dock, and fell backwards. Stumbled back, the ungraceful queen flailed her arms as she fell into the cold water.

_Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold._

Elsa quickly grabbed onto the edge of the dock, soaking wet. When she looked up, Tanya was right there, offering her hand. There was a twinkle in the girl's ocean-colored eyes, and Elsa was smitten. Was this what Anna felt like when she met Hans?

She grasped the princess' hand as she pulled Elsa out of the water, and up on her own two feet. Suddenly, Elsa felt clumsy and self-conscious. She did not remember the last time she tripped ever, though she had seen Anna do that before.

This was going to be a long day.

When Anna got back to the castle, she beat Kristoff by yards. Elsa was alive! What she had seen with the magical birds was proof that she, as well as Tanya, were alright. Where was Elsa? Was she safe? Did she get through the mountains? Why didn't she come back to the castle within a day, like she said originally? And then different scenarios ran through Anna's head. Was she hurt? Was she in trouble? Oh please don't be in trouble. What if she fell and can't get up? Or what if she's lost? Or what if…

The worst scenario yet passed her mind.

What if she is dead, and sent help before she died?

She could not let these thoughts control her. After all, there was really no way to know yet what happened with Elsa.

Anna burst into the castle and headed towards the main hallway. That was the area at least she saw them fly into. She zoomed past the castle workers who watched her and Kristoff, running in the halls, in utter confusion. In haste to catch up, Kristoff almost knocked down a cleaning maid, dusting the royal paintings.

"Oh look at that!"

It was Olaf's happy voice, coming closer and closer.

"They're so pretty, especially that fire one… Ouch! But don't touch!"

Anna saw the snowman playing with what she saw flying in the sky outside. The birds were circling around him, as he twirled as if he was dancing. As soon as he saw Anna and Kristoff, he stopped spinning, and opened his arms wide.

"Look what I found guys!"

"Olaf!" Exclaimed Anna. "Do you know if it's Elsa?"

"I don't think so, they look more like birds to me."

"I mean, do you think Elsa could have made them?"

"Hmmm I'll take a look!" Olaf whistled at the snow bird, and it flew down onto his finger, and ruffled it's feathers. Olaf inspected it closely.

"Let's see here… interesting, interesting…"

"So? Do you know?

"By the look of it… yep, yes! This one is definitely made by Elsa, that's what it told me at least."

Anna jumped up in the air with joy. She wrapped her arms around Kristoff as hard as she could, which even rivaled one of his big bear hugs. "She's still alive! I knew it, I knew it all along!"

"But that really hot one…," Olaf continued, confused.

"Tanya could have made that," Anna cleared up Olaf's confusion.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Kristoff piped up. "Look at all the detail! Your sister should definitely take up ice sculpting."

"How did they find Arendelle without Elsa?" Anna asked.

"Let me ask them!" Olaf exclaimed.

"You can do that?"

"Of course I can."

"It's because you're both made alive from magic right?" Kristoff guessed.

"No, that wouldn't make sense. I've known how to speak bird since the day I was made!" Olaf proceeded to make whistling noises you would not necessarily associate with a bird call. Anna and Kristoff both just looked at each other.

"Come here you little birdies, you little cuties you!" The snowman whistled to them as best as a snowman could. He then covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm asking them if they know where Elsa is," Olaf whispered.

"Can you ask them if she's alive? If she's alright? If she's hurt? Oh! Can they lead me to her?"

"Woah, slow down," Kristoff put his big hand on the princess' shoulder. "Olaf can only ask one question at a time.

But the snowman cut them off. "She and Tanya are both alive!" The birds continued chirping back and Olaf listened. "They are over the mountains… yeah… uh huh… across the sea…," he kept listening.

They were across the sea? That was so far! Why where they going that way, away from Arendelle?

"Yes… I see… so they are on their way to Aldyn!" Olaf concluded happily.

"What? Why aren't they coming back to Arendelle? Why did Elsa not tell us?" Anna said softly.

"Maybe she just didn't have a chance to. Or maybe this could be her way of trying to contact you," replied Kristoff.

"I guess… but I still have a gut feeling as if something else happened."

"I get gut feelings too, when I'm hungry. Anna, you have no idea if something else happened or not."

"Well call it sisterly intuition, but I swear, I just know something is off."

At that moment, Gerda and Kai walked into the room talking to one another. Once they eyed the birds, their eyes went wide and fell silent. "What in the name is happening here?" Gerda exclaimed.

"I'll go get the guards," added Kai. "Foreign magic has invaded the castle."

"No, wait!" Anna called waving her arms in a stop motion. "It's okay, really! It's just Elsa!"

Kai relaxed once he heard the queen's name. "I swear ever since the queen took the throne, things have been odder around here. Sorry Princess Anna, I'm still getting used to this whole magical powers concept."

"Same," added Gerda in agreement. "I've raised you two from when you were babies, and I never had a clue. Your parents hid it well."

It was true that her parents hid it very well. She herself did not even know if any of the staff even knew. Her parents might have told those who they trusted the most, but then that would have been Kai and Gerda. They had worked there for so long, way before they were born. If their parents did not even trust Kai or Gerda, they almost positively did not tell anyone else. She was surprised though, Gerda was her mother's nanny and maid even when she was a princess.

_You could have thought my mother would've told her._

"Yeah they did keep that secret hidden pretty well. Even during most of my life I had no clue. Of course I can be pretty oblivious at times." Kristoff chuckled, which in response, Anna hit him lightly in the arm. "Hey!" Anna lips turned into a pout, but could not help the edges of her mouth grow into a smile. Elsa was alive. Her sister, who she thought was dead, which tore at her heart for days. Now that she was sure she was alive, Anna was not going to take any chances. She was not going to risk losing her sister again to the unknown.

Once was already good enough. She had almost lost her sister a year ago, and she decided she wasn't going to take any chances.

_Elsa needs me whether she knows it or not._

_Or more like I need her whether she knows it or not._

"She did hide it well, but that wasn't the real Elsa. Hid it because she was scared of hurting someone, someone mostly being me. But now she's in trouble, I just know it. And I'm scared of her getting hurt. But I'm not going to just lock myself in my room and confine myself to my bed anymore. I'm going to go find her, her and Tanya, and bring them back to Arendelle."

"What!?" All three of them exclaimed at the same time. All of them except for Olaf, who was still mesmerized by Elsa's magic flying in the air. But once he heard them, he tuned into the conversation.

"No, not now, and not by yourself," Kristoff took Anna's hands. "Elsa needs you here to watch over Arendelle. You have a responsibility here and that's what's most important right now."

Anna let go of his hands and backed away. "What's most important to me is that Elsa's safe. Kristoff, she's my sister. My responsibility as a sister is more important to me than a princess." She cupped her hands together and brought them to her chest, as if to contain her heart inside. Anna narrowed her eyes, and her forehead creased slightly. "I thought you of all people knew that."

Kristoff with his arm still partially in the air was at loss for words. There was no way he could convince Anna that her kingdom needed her. He did not mean to hurt her, or even say it in that way. But deep down he knew it was true, and he knew Anna knew it was true as well.

"I don't want to stop you Anna, I'm not going to. But if you are going, take Sven with you. He's not like a horse, but he trusts you enough for you to ride him."

"I'll come with you too," Olaf added, tugging on Anna's dress with his twig hand.

"Kristoff?" Anna said sadly, waiting to see if her fiancé would accompany her or not. But knowing Kristoff, she already knew the answer.

"Someone has to stay here Anna. I trust Sven, he'll watch after you. I'll stay here and watch after Arendelle."

Anna knew Kristoff would stay behind. She knew it all along. And as much as she did not like it, hated it in fact, she understood. She was rash and quick to make decisions. He was careful, and thought through every decision.

She just nodded, as her eyes filled with tears. Anna did not want to leave Kristoff, but she needed her sister. Instead of crying again, she ran into Kristoff's arms. It was as if they were waiting for her.

"I'll go talk to Sven a bit, let him know your plan before you three head out," he spoke quietly in Anna's ear.

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Kai spoke up. Though he whispered it to Gerda, Kristoff could still hear, "After all, she is the last in the royal line."

"I know what I'm doing," replied Anna annoyed. She must have heard Kai too. "And I'm leaving my fiancé Kristoff in charge while I'm gone. I promise I'll be back, you can count on that. Hesitantly both Kai and Gerda just nodded and agreed to the princess' plans.

Kristoff went to Sven's own stable he custom built for him. It was not a stable really, more like a room where Sven could go in and out whenever he pleased. It was more like a personal room more than anything. The reindeer was sad, and at first did not want to. It was their first time being apart, separated from each other. But Kristoff was able to convince Sven how important Anna was to him, and persuading him with carrots did not exactly hurt either. When Kristoff was done putting on Sven's custom made saddle, and provided Anna with a pack of everything she needed, she came out in her riding dress with Olaf, ready to go.

Anna gave Kristoff a tight hug whispered in his ear, "I love you."

She got herself on the Sven, who Kirstoff could make out a look of awkward discomfort, and plopped the snowman right in front of her.

As she rode off, looking at her fiancé from behind, Kristoff whispered back, "I love you too. Be careful."


	11. Chapter 11 - Don't Panic

It was later that afternoon when Elsa and Tanya finished their work for the inn-keeper Geralt. Though Elsa had fallen into the water, and Tanya slipped a few times afterwards, they both got a good laugh from it.

Elsa did not realize how cute Tanya's laugh was. It was soft, not too loud but not too quiet. When she did, the princess always smiled big, showing off her straight teeth. Finally with sore arms, they headed back to the inn. Geralt, who was always working the front desk, thanked them again and again for their work.

"My lazy son von't do eet. All he does ez seet around all day, he ez so lazy. One day he vill have to take over the inn, and realize vith life comes verk. Thank you again, usually pretty girls like yerselves would never do such a favor."

Tanya blushed and moved closer to Elsa, her arm pressing against hers.

"No really it's us who should be thanking you," said Elsa. Though they were more than just two "pretty girls," as put, she was not going to give away their identity.

"Vell, allow me to tip you girls somedeeng."

"No really it's okay, your generosity has been enough…" The queen held her hands up and laughed.

"Take dees," in his palm he held a little sack of coins. It was enough to buy some new clothes, and maybe some food.

"I can't take this," Elsa paused, amazed at the gift. She felt Tanya tug on her hand behind her back with her own, as if to say "just take it." That alone convinced her to stop trying to be polite and accept the gift. "Thank you," her small feminine hand took the sack out of Geralt's callused covered hand.

When they had left the Squidside inn, Elsa counted how much Geralt had really "tipped" them.

"Five pieces of gold!? Are you serious?" Tanya leaned into the queen to get a better look.

"But why?"

"Maybe he was flirting with you," the princess said playfully.

"I doubt it, the man looked kind of bored, not interested."

"We can get new clothes for that! We can get a pack, and some food," Tanya pointed out.

"It's a good thing it's not too late in the afternoon, or the market would be closed and we'd have no place to stay."

"We could stay at the inn again," Tanya suggested.

"If worse comes to worse, but I'd rather that we don't take from the man anymore."

They walked along the pier, close to one another. Tanya had not left Elsa's side since they left the Squidside Inn, and Elsa rather liked it. The past few days, no, week, had been a whirlwind. Not just physically but emotionally. Elsa did not know what to feel. Her guilt was growing, from their escape from the pirate ship, and causing the death of an entire crew. The pirates could have taken other prisoners just like her and Tanya, but had no way of escaping. There could have been sailors on the ship forced to be pirates against their will. Even the men that had attempted to enslave them. Even they did not deserve to die. Elsa could not believe they died by her hand. Her heart was weakening from hording her horrible secret from Tanya. It was growing increasingly unbearable to keep inside, but she had to.

If Tanya knew what she did, what the potential of her magic was, that would break the girl's trust. The princess would see her as an enemy, not a friend. A monster, not a protector. Someone dangerous, a murderer.

But being around the girl was doing something else to her heart. The growing feelings Elsa had for her were counteracting with the fact that she had experienced one of her worst fears. Her fear of becoming a monster once more was her sickness, but Tanya was her medicine.

Elsa suddenly believed she could fight the feeling of wanting to curl up into a ball, or lock herself in a room. This time she could take her fears head on in combat. This time when facing her fears, she wasn't alone. Even if Tanya had no idea what she was going through or what she was feeling, Elsa was okay with that. Simply having someone there that cared, at least she thought so at least, was enough.

But she was also worried concerning her growing feelings. Sure, Elsa did not realize she would ever have feelings for a girl, or that they decided to reveal themselves so suddenly. If she could accept herself with having magical powers, she could certainly handle this. It was not a matter of was she okay with it, but would others be? How would Anna respond if I told her my feelings for Tanya? But she was far away from Arendelle and her responsibilities as queen. She did not expect to be taken out of her role as queen, her original plan was to find Tanya and bring her back to Arendelle. By saying yes to Tanya that she would accompany her to Aldyn, was she rejecting her throne and responsibilities?

No, she was simply fulfilling the promise she made…

But deep down, Elsa knew that was only partially true. Though she did not expect to be kidnapped by pirates and end up in a foreign land, she did have power over her decision of going back to Arendelle. But, very unlike herself, she chose the off-beam choice and she knew it. But somehow, she just could not say no.

The two girls walked into a small store which sold clothing. They decided if they were going to leave that evening, they would need different clothes, not the ripped up dresses they were wearing under their cloaks. As soon as they walked in, they were swarmed by different dresses for different occasions, all on display. The queen knew right away she desired something practical for travel and comfort, nothing too fancy or which said she was of nobility.

As she saw a simple, basic blue dress with a light blue floral pattern, Tanya separated from her, going to the other side of the store. The dress was a slightly different style than that of an Arendelle dress. The pattern towards the bottom of the skirt had a more vibrant pattern, which was quite lovely. Though the dress had an off-shoulder neckline, it had long bishop style sleeves. A large white stripe with a pattern flowed down the middle. The skirt length fell a few inches above her ankles. Though it wasn't Arendelle fashion, it looked as if it would fit similarly to her dresses at home. The rest of the dresses in the store were nothing like she would normally wear.

She raised her head and searched the store to see where Tanya ventured off to. Farther in the back she saw the princess looking at tunics and pants. Specifically a black pair of pants, a red shirt, and a thick black belt to go around the waist. The hue of red made the color of the girl's silky light brown hair pop. It was definitely her color, not that somber dark green hue she wore at the ball. Tanya's fingertips gently observed the rose pattern, and smiled in approval. Though she was a bit surprised to see the princess going for more masculine clothes, it made sense when they were going to be traveling for a while. Tanya saw Elsa's stare and from the edges of her lips creaked a smile. Tanya was definitely studying what Elsa's choice of wear was, and it made her sweat.

What if the dress did not look good on her? Or what if Tanya did not like it? Or more importantly, why did she even care about how she dressed in front of her?

It made Elsa's head hurt.

_Okay so I like Tanya, _Elsa admitted to herself. _I think I can handle that now. But why do I feel the need to be perfect in front of her?_

But in some aspects, she needed to be stronger. There was no way she was going to let Tanya know what happened on board the pirate ship. If she knew what happened, not only would she fear Elsa but run away from her like in the beginning. And Elsa didn't know if she could handle someone disappearing from her life again.

A sweat came upon her body, as her topaz blue eyes were still fixed on the dress. Tanya could never know she was a murderer, that she not only killed one, but nearly a hundred men. If Elsa was able to control her powers, yet be unable to stop that from happening, what could Tanya's fire do? To have that fear and actually become a monster, a lesser human being, was too much to handle. Elsa was queen of Arendelle, blessed and cursed with magical powers, and had unwillingly become a killer. She couldn't block it out or deny it anymore. Elsa's hands started to shake.

If she did not have powers, she would have never have killed anyone. None of this mess would have ever happened. She had never fully hated her powers, they were just another part of her, like the barely-there freckles which dusted her cheeks. Growing up, her problem wasn't hating her own powers. Rather it was others not accepting them, accepting her. But now…

Elsa looked down at her sweating hands. She hated them. She wished it was not a part of her. The Duke of Weaselton was right for calling her a monster a year ago, maybe even predicting what was to eventually come. They were the reason why she was different, a monster, and a murderer. It scared her senseless.

Tanya was coming towards Elsa, but the queen hardly gave her recognition as she fainted and fell to the ground. The last thing she heard was Tanya's voice calling the woman at the counter for help.

Anna rode on Sven the reindeer's back as they trekked through the forest. Olaf was on her lap happily keeping the princess company to relieve their boredom. He was funny at times, but one thing the snowman was good at was keeping a conversation. Or at least constantly talking. It distracted her from missing Kristoff so much, after leaving him behind in Arendelle. She missed his huge arms which gently held her close. His reassuring voice that not only made him seem confident, but made her feel confident as well.

"...And then Elsa one time let me have a whole mug of this delicious concoction called hot chocolate…"

If Anna could not think about Kristoff, it was always about her sister. Olaf, made by Elsa herself, was not going to let the princess forget her sister. Along the path made by travelers before them, Olaf told the two several stories about times he had spent with Elsa. He was sharing with them both his favorite story in particular, about when he tried chocolate for the first time.

"Who knew chocolate could be hot?" He exclaimed with a childish wonder.

Sven just grunted back at him.

He was not uncomfortable or bothered with her and Olaf riding on his back. But Anna could tell that the reindeer missed his best friend back at home. It was rather obvious, the way he was so quiet and his head drooped low. Olaf even told him "speak up Sven" a few times, before continuing to talk.

Olaf's stories gave her determination. She was going to find her sister and bring her back to Arendelle. She would not stop until she did.

The birds flew low up ahead in the distance, leading the way for them to follow. While flying they would circle around each other, and during breaks they would huddle next to one another. Though the magic emanating from the birds clashed and created steam, they ignored the fact they were slowly extinguishing each other while doing so. Olaf was always so charmed by the birds, and the way they interacted with each other. Like his stories, maybe they were a reminder of Elsa for him.

Anna was so oblivious to her surroundings, she hardly saw the traveler on horseback ahead. It was until the stranger was a few feet in front of their group, that Anna took notice.

"Oh! Hello there," she said, initiating the greeting.

"Hello to you as well," the man said back.

"So, how long is the road really?" Anna chuckled.

"I'd say you could probably make it to the closest town in about a day or so, depending on weather conditions."

It occurred to Anna this could be a good opportunity to ask about her sister. "Have you seen or heard of two ladies traveling together east?" At least she thought they were going east, that was the direction the birds were flying anyway.

The stranger was observing their unusual traveling party before he spoke. "I haven't seen anyone at all on these roads, except for you few. In the town I stopped at however, there was a strange rumor going around. Maybe you would know something of it."

"Why is that?"

The traveler simply pointed at the two birds sitting in the tree and to Olaf. "According to what I've heard, a trade ship sunk at sea by freezing. Only a handful of sailors survived, but they described the ship becoming like a block of pure ice. That magical bird and snowman you've got there reminded me of it."

Anna knew it was her sister.

"Really, were these sailors from the east?"

"Yes just over the mountains and through the valley. They were at the town I stopped at while I picked up supplies. I'm sorry, I haven't heard of your two friends. Friends, am I correct?"

Anna could tell he was a little suspicious of her. The way he worded his question made it so he was trying to learn more about her, without bluntly asking her more personal questions. This stranger was beating around the bush, and that made Anna uncomfortable. She could tell Sven was wary as well, by the way he had his head cocked to the side. Anna was passively yet politely going to make her getaway.

"Yeah… They're just friends." Wrong one of them she hardly knew, and the other was her sister, the queen. "Well thanks for your time, but we should be on our way. Right Sven?"

The reindeer made a loud grunt in agreement, and started walking forward and past the man.

"Anytime," he dipped his head and made eye contact with the princess. His eyes looked hungry. Yet he made his way in the opposite direction. Once they were out of his hearing range, Olaf exclaimed, "That man was kind of creepy!"

"Shhh don't be so loud or he'll hear you."

"Sven didn't care for him that much either, did you buddy?" The reindeer just shook his head to affirm Olaf's assumption.

"Well, at least he was nice enough to tell us what he heard down the road. Now we know we're not simply following a random path… at least I think."

"You don't have to worry about that, the birds know where Elsa and Tanya are. If they didn't they wouldn't be leading us to them, right?"

"I guess you are right," Anna smiled. "But I do agree, there was something strange about that man."

She wished Kristoff was there to reverse it on herself, that there was something strange about her riding a reindeer followed by magical birds and a snowman. Of course the traveler was curious about them, he probably had never seen anything like them in his life.

Anna missed her fiancé. She wished Kristoff was here with her.

Just as she was thinking these things, the crew made their way out the other side of the mountain range.

It was the same dream again. Dead bodies floating everywhere in the water. This time though the bodies were frozen in large cubes of ice. Elsa could not close her eyes to the sight, they were frozen open. She tried running away in the empty space, but when she tried to move her legs and feet, they were frozen in place as well. She was stuck, stuck in her own dream and forced to relive her worst nightmare again. All she could do in response was cry. Chilled tears streamed down her face and turned into liquid fire on her face. She drank her tears down as they drowned her face, and it made her delirious. Elsa could not think. She could barely feel any emotion anymore besides the painful tears, glossing over her eyes and covering her face. Her thoughts were just as choppy as her feelings. She tried wiping her tear-stained cheeks with her hand, which was surprisingly warm to the touch.

"Elsa."

She heard her name, though she couldn't make out the voice.

"Elsa."

There it was again. The blonde was confused. She could still feel the warmth of her hand on her cheeks. It was comforting.

"Elsa… it will be okay."

She could feel a new warmth all over her body. It melted her bad dream, her nightmare which became reality. It melted her soul, every segment in her body. This was new. It felt… good.

Her eyes opened. Immediately she sensed she was on the ground, and her head was in someone's lap. Her forehead felt heavy, just like the rest of her body.

"She woke up, do you have any water?"

It was that voice again, a female voice.

_Was she talking to me? No, it didn't sound like she was._

A shadow cast upon Elsa and she heard the young woman say, "Thank you."

Elsa moved her eyes up just slightly to see the young woman who spoke from above, which so happened to be Tanya. She was staring down into her eyes. But it was not a harsh or critical stare, far from it.

"Hey there," Tanya spoke directly to her.

Elsa just blinked, not breaking off her glance.

"You fainted."

Her stomach churned. Did she really? _How embarrassing._

Tanya took the rag in her available hand, the other helping prop up Elsa's head, and dipped it in a bowl of warm water. She wrung it, and began stroking Elsa's face, including wiping underneath her eyes. It felt so good in so many different ways.

"You were crying while you blacked out." Tanya moved her hand holding Elsa's head, and adjusted her position slightly. With her fingers, she started gently caressing Elsa's light blonde hair.

Elsa and Tanya reoriented themselves, and plopped on top of a couch. A door was partially open, and observed that it led to the front of the store.

Tanya could see her slight confusion. "The lady working at the counter saw what happened, and helped me move you to the couch in the back. Luckily she didn't kick us out for creating a scene in front of customers. Luckily there were no customers besides us, so had to help us."

Elsa, feeling like she was constantly humiliating herself in front of the girl, tried to sit up. Though her head still felt heavy and dizzy, she could manage it. Who knows how long she had passed out for? It was most likely too late for them to head out on the road. And it was all because she had a nervous breakdown and fainted.

But she felt a touch, a hand resting itself on her shoulder. Tanya's hand slightly tugged on her shoulder, as if to say "lay back down." Elsa followed her orders, resting on Tanya's lap as the hand encouraged her to do. Her fingertips continued running through her hair, as the washcloth fell back stroking her face. It sent a chill through her blood.

"You've been taking care of me this whole time… so let me take care of you this time."

Her storm in her eyes were thrashing as she spoke. Elsa nuzzled slightly into her hand. It was warm, comforting, yet new.

The queen smiled. She was alright with that.


	12. Chapter 12 - Campfire Talk

Elsa and Tanya walked rather close to one another through the town market. The queen had bought the blue dress, while Tanya chose the red tunic and pants. She never would have thought red was a color the princess liked, yet it looked very good on her. Looking at her own dress, she felt very unoriginal for choosing blue.

"Look at this Elsa!"

Tanya grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the stand. There were random trinkets all over, things they did not need.

"Look how they got this ship in a bottle! I wonder, how did they do it anyway?"

The princess held up the fragile bottle which looked very old. From Elsa's perspective, looking through it magnified Tanya's face, making it seem giant. Tanya set it down.

"Or what about this?"

It was an old book written in a completely foreign language. Probably from a faraway land.

"Nah, I wouldn't be able to read it…" Tanya trailed off, caught in the midst of all the antiques.

The queen looked over to the docks, where the sun was starting to set. They had what they needed food, new clothes, and a small knife to use as a tool. They decided to save the rest of the money, just in case they had an emergency.

The two girls agreed to leave at night, since neither of them were tired and were growing antsy. But as they were leaving the town, they decided to check out the market, just in case they forgot to purchase something important.

On the other side of the stall, something caught Elsa's eye. It was a dazzling necklace with a red stone hanging from the chain. Suddenly Elsa was overcome with an impulse to buy it. She looked over. Tanya was not paying any attention and had her back turned.

Quickly the queen pulled out a few silver coins from some of the change she carried, and offered them to the man selling the antiques. He gave her first a look, and then handed over the necklace. Elsa made the barter fast, so Tanya would not see. She would surprise the princess later by giving the necklace to her. The queen stashed it in her pouch just as Tanya turned around.

"Hey we should probably be on our way, don't you think?"

"Better now than later, try not to get distracted again," Elsa teased.

Tanya laughed. "I don't plan on it…" She was not looking at Elsa anymore, but at something over her shoulder. More like someone over her shoulder.

Elsa wanted to see what caught the girl's attention.

"Don't turn around Elsa, but I think those men are watching you…" Tanya whispered.

Elsa gulped and her anxiety got the best of her. From the corner of her eye, she could make out five men all in raggedy clothes. They were big, they definitely looked like sailors, and they all seemed angry. Not to mention they were all fixing their eyes at her. Then another man joined the five men, who Elsa recognized immediately. It was the captain from the ship which they escaped from.

_How were they still alive?_

"I think we need to go now," Elsa said forcefully yet with a hint of fear. "Come on before they see us."

But the pirates saw the girls leaving and started pacing after them. Then they started running and the men did the same.

Elsa turned into an alley and called Tanya to follow her. It was a small space in between the double story houses surrounding them. There were clothing lines that they had to duck under, and sometimes hop over. The ground beneath their feet was brick and rock, with dirt patches here and there. Next to a garbage, there was an old beggar, most likely blind by the look of his eyes, asking for money. Besides him and few other people doing laundry, there was no one walking around in the alley. They were completely out of place, and probably a little suspicious. But how they appeared to the villagers was the last of Elsa's worries.

They winded through the alley ways until they came to a dead end. "Oh no I knew we should've turned the other way," said Tanya panting.

But close behind them were the pirates, almost caught up with them. Elsa realized the only way past this wall blocking their path was to use her powers. Though she dearly did not want to reveal them, here and now because of whoever else might see, she did not have much of a choice.

"Watch out," Elsa pushed away Tanya as she sent a blast of ice flying at their pursuers. The ice blast formed into a thick wall, which would stall them for some time. The pirates took out their swords and started hacking at the ice.

Then Elsa took Tanya's hand and planted her foot firmly on the ground. A pillar of ice grew from underneath them, lifting them up so they could see over the wall. She sent another blast of her powers to form descending stairs on the other side.

"Jump!" Elsa exclaimed. But before she could, she felt a hold on her cloak.

"Yer not getting away this time, witch!" It was the captain. "You'll pay for what ye did to my crew and ship!" He lifted his sword with a snarl.

"No!"

It was Tanya's voice. An uncontrolled blast of fire emitted from her hand and flew towards the captain. It hit the hand that had the sword in the air, and the man screamed in pain. He let go of Elsa and kneeled down as his hand burned. The captain's cronies came to his side as Elsa jumped over, and grabbed a frightened Tanya by the arm. On the other side, Elsa touched the staircase of ice again, freezing it until it shattered into millions of pieces.

On the other side of the wall, a man was yelling in agony. Tanya's eyes were wide as she held her hands close together.

"Hurry," Elsa reminded her to keep running.

They were already to the edge of the village, when they heard someone familiar say "Wait!"

It was the innkeeper Geralt, who had been so generous. He caught up to them in no time.

"I saw what 'ye did to those pirates."

Elsa froze, standing in front of Tanya. She did not know what to say to the man who had treated them so kindly. Was he going to try to prevent them from escaping? The look on his face said otherwise.

"I knew something vas different with ye since ye stepped into my inn. I've seen many things in my years, both on sea and land, but I knew that you vere different. That's vhy I offered you my service."

Elsa responded, "We are just trying to find our way to Aldyn."

"And I believe ye. But I also know what ye are. That's vhy I vant you to take dees." It was a bundle wrapped heavily with cheap cotton fabric and twine. It was not heavy, but not light either.

"Eet is not fer you, but fer an old woman who lives deep in the forest. Between here and Aldyn, she lives somewhere in those woods. This 'ees something I need to return to her, but haven't been able to find her again. Rumor has it, her house moves. Now I'm not asking ye to go out of yer way to deliver another thing fer me. Rather I believe on yer way you'll more 'den likely run into her."

Elsa took the bundle from Geralt, "Um, so what is it?"

"I can't tell ye. It's for the old woman to open." There were yells in the distance. "Now if you hurry, I'll lead those men chasing you into the opposite direction."

"Fair enough," Elsa took the strange package, and put it in her side bag.

"But we don't know what it is," Tanya whispered into the queen's ear.

"We will just have to trust Geralt that it's not anything that will harm us. He's been kind to us so far, and I don't think he's planning anything sinister." Elsa could almost always tell when someone was lying, and she did not think the man was.

Geralt shooed the girls, and they escaped into the depths of the forest, and when he was out of their sight, even louder yelling could be heard behind them.

"He must be talking to the pirates right now," said Tanya.

Elsa kept her ears alert and open. What if it was a trap, and Geralt had lied to them this whole time? What if he was conspiring with them? Anxiously Elsa listened closely to hear if the yelling was growing louder. To her relief, the farther they ran through the woods, the more distant the voices became. It was a little over an hour, nothing could be heard anymore.

"I think we've lost them," Tanya knew she had stated the obvious and the Elsa knew that already. But Elsa also knew the girl was more so talking to herself, based on her body language.

After a few hours they stopped at a river to camp, as the sun had already set. The river was wide and deep, but there was nothing they could not cross, with the help of Elsa's ability to freeze pretty much anything. Nonetheless, they were both drained and in great need of rest.

While Elsa gathered wood, and formed a circle with rocks, Tanya lit the pile of wood on fire. In a snap, a full flame had appeared, and soon enough they had a campfire roaring. After she had started it, Elsa went down to the river to wash her feet. Looking back, she noticed that the younger girl's focus was totally absorbed in the flames. The reflection of the flame's light, hit the princess' eyes so that they turned from a sea blue to a dark blue. Her pale skin glowed a soft orange hue, as she was sitting on top of a fallen log. The fire lit up the whole perimeter around them, where the light and shadows of the trees contrasted. But Tanya was the only thing she kept her eyes on.

An inside voice appeared inside of Elsa.

_Stop staring at her. You can't stare at her like that, you know you can't. _

She shook herself aware of what she caught herself doing, and continued to wash her legs. Bathing in the water sounded very relaxing at that moment, and the water was clear as crystal. The queen decided that she would go farther into the river to bathe and wash her hair. She figured no one else was around, and Tanya would be safe.

After tossing her dress aside, the queen strode into the cold river in her long undergarments. When the rushing water was finally up to her chin, she undid her long braid, and a silky mane of light blonde hair flowed out. It quickly turned a darker shade, as Elsa dunked the back of her head under the water. The moving water felt soothing against her skin, as if it had magical healing properties. So badly she wished she could let the river sweep her away, along with her worries, and bizarre mood.

Elsa turned her head slightly to check on Tanya way off in the distance. Her eyes were no longer fixated on the campfire, but turned around towards the bathing queen. Elsa could see the girl's hypnotic fascination in her face. The princess twitched a little when she realized the older girl was looking right back at her. It was obvious that this was awkward for the princess, to be caught staring at the queen in her undergarments. So instead of making it more awkward, Elsa decided to turn the tables around.

"Come in!" She yelled. "The river is cold, and the water feels wonderful!"

Slowly the girl got up from her seat next to the fire and walked to the bank of the river. The brunette took off her shirt, bandage, belt, pants, and boots, while periodically taking quick glances at Elsa, who was expectantly waiting for her.

Elsa was trying her best to contain all urges, to prevent potentially making the situation even more embarrassing for the girl.

Tanya's undergarments were white to her upper knees, and a white sleeveless shirt. But Elsa could not get over the v-neck of the shirt. But that, she kept to herself.

"Brrr!" Tanya shivered as she crossed her arms. "How are you even swimming in this?"

"You just have to be brave and get all the way in!" Elsa smiled and playfully splashed the girl, as the water was just waist high to her.

"Hey stop it you stinker! I'm going in at my own pace."

"Did you just call me a stinker?" Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did. And if you splash me again, you'll be an even bigger one."

"Well in that case…" Elsa came up, grabbed Tanya's hands and pulled her right into the water.

The princess fell flat on her face, and came up from being fully submerged. Her hair turned a darker brown, and was slicked back. In revenge, she splashed at the queen who let out a laugh. Tanya swam closer to Elsa, continuing to splashing her until her revenge would be satisfied. Elsa thought of freezing the splashes in retaliation and for fun, but she decided it would be probably better not to.

Instead Elsa went for the girl's arms to hold her from the attack.

"Gotcha you troublemaker!" Elsa was able to hold her arms and bring the girl close into an embrace. They laughed until they realized after, that they were still hugging.

Elsa's chest felt like it stopped in that moment. Suddenly she had no idea what she was even doing, or what to do with Tanya pressed to her. She could smell her distinct, yet sweet smell from her hair. She could have lived in her aroma for eternity, for all she cared.

The queen lifted her hand from the girl's back as if to break away the hug, but decided to stroke Tanya's straight hair. Her hand went from her head, to her neck, and down her back to where her other hand was.

Tanya felt tense in her arms. It made Elsa suddenly anxious. Had she gone too far or scared the girl? She was getting too "handsy" or touchy with her, which was very much unlike her usual self. Besides with Anna, she had never come this physically intimate with anyone else. But even with Anna, she was her sister. It had only been a week and a half since she and Tanya met.

Elsa's worries faded away temporarily as Tanya relaxed and moved. The brown haired girl broke off the hug, but not without placing one hand behind the blonde's head, and kissing her forehead. She squeezed the queen's hand before releasing, as they waded both up to the river bank.

They made sure to dry off near the fire, which was already burning without their presence. They put back on their traveling clothes, and the robes on their backs to keep warm. Elsa told herself they were far deep inside the miles of forest, for their pursuers to ever find them. Especially with it being night time, and the smoke would be camouflaged with the sky above them. These thoughts were just the smallest worries in the back of Elsa's head.

She thought about Arendelle, her own kingdom she had left behind. Anna and Kristoff were back, probably keeping things orderly in her absence. When Elsa became queen, she had Anna shadow her with her daily duties. Going through all the documents and legislations to approve and sign, did not capture Anna's attention at all. Meetings were even worse, when Elsa would notice Anna starting to dose off. Of course the princess did not understand everything they were talking about, but as a princess and representative of Arendelle, she needed to learn a little more respect. At least that's what Elsa thought. Luckily no one knew Anna as well as her, who could tell when she was getting tired.

But without being in Arendelle at all, none of her duties could be kept up to the fullest. She knew that Anna would try her best, but at this time her sister could not understand or keep up with the queen's obligations.

_There are people I specifically hired to teach Anna all my mundane tasks as queen. They will watch over her, _Elsa comforted herself. Though none of these hires knew Arendelle better than she did. She was aware of everything going on in the kingdom, or at least that's what she thought to be true.

Kristoff on the other hand, was a simple man. Simple, yet responsible. She could tell he did not enjoy life being so complicated. Though she did not doubt Anna's husband to be could pick up royal obligations and the responsibilities of ruling, would he have the drive to be a good king? It was a matter of making the cut or not, it is easily visible if someone does not enjoy what they do. And being the potential future ruler while not have the inner drive to care, could affect the whole kingdom. Elsa could tell Kristoff would be much happier living life as a commoner, or at least as someone with not much responsibility. Anna clearly loved the man, and Elsa did bless the marriage herself. Marrying Kristoff was Anna's choice, not hers.

_Anna is still rash, but she did learn her lesson with Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, _she convinced herself. It was more in her nature to think things through, before making a huge decision. At least she thought.

Elsa was so absorbed in thinking to herself and working through all her worries, that she did not notice Tanya watching her. When the princess sitting on the log across from her spoke, Elsa jumped in her seat. Very ungraceful for her nature.

"You do a lot of thinking, don't you?" Tanya commented.

"I was just admiring the fire you made," the queen stammered.

"That's a lie."

"Excuse me?" The queen was startled at the princess' bluntness, though after the whole time of knowing her, Tanya was not always the most tactful with words.

"Your forehead creases when you're thinking."

"Glad to know someone notices when I look unpleasant," the queen laughed.

But Tanya just shook her head and continued, "But when you're just looking at something, your face becomes soft."

_She's observant of my facial features and expressions,_ Elsa internally noted to herself.

"I have a lot on my mind," she admitted to the girl. "As queen I have many responsibilities." _Responsibilities I could have attended if I could've just convinced Tanya to come back to Arendelle. _

Tanya went silent, as if she read the queen's mind. And after thought of how to respond to the queen's truthful, yet slightly passive aggressive comment, she replied, "I hope you understand that I need answers from my parents."

The reply was genuine. No irritation or defensiveness coming from her voice.

"I need to know why they would just dump me in Arendelle without telling me, or saying goodbye. I thought I meant more to them than that. I mean, what kind of parents do that anyway?"

"They told me they wanted you to learn how to control your powers. Maybe it was not the best way of going about it, but that's how they did it. I wouldn't go as far to think that they don't care about you."

Tanya's forehead creased, and crossed her arms. "I'm not convinced. They're my parents, and I know them well enough to know there is some other reason."

That was true, Tanya knew them and the ice queen did not. There was no real way for Elsa to truly understand what was going throughout the girl's head. She was struggling with problems she could relate to, yet they were not her own experiences. As a girl, the queen was most of the time the reject-or, not the reject-ee, in order to hide the secret of her powers. Her parents, she admitted, did not do the best parenting job, yet everything they did do was out of love. Elsa could not comprehend how Tanya's own parents just left her like that with no warning, as if they did not care.

"But it doesn't matter. When I get to Aldyn, I'll get the truth from them," the princess said matter-of-factly.

"And what happens then?"

"It depends how my parents will respond," she said simply, as if the thought did not affect her at all.

"And if they lied?"

"Then I'll get the truth out. Not that hard," a wisp of a flame came from Tanya's hand.

"You would consider threatening your parents?" Elsa was genuinely curious at the girl's extreme gesture.

"I wouldn't hurt them Elsa, they're my parents," she laughed, but had a cynical tone to it. "But based on what they assume of me, they don't know that. They were never there anyway."

Clearly, deep down the princess had to be angry. It was obvious to Elsa that Tanya kept harboring some sort of feeling so deep and hidden, and she let it control her. She had experienced it herself growing up, but did not know how long Tanya had been keeping it down. However she was not going to say this to the princess, or out loud for that matter.

"I just thought you cared about them more than to threaten them."

"Well then how am I going to get the truth out Elsa?" Tanya said tiredly.

"That's why I'm here going with you, to help and support you. It's not in the King and Queen's best taste to lie to not only their daughter, but the queen of another kingdom, who provided them hospitality during a "time of need." I want to enforce peace ties between your parents and Arendelle, and make sure that there are no hard feelings with either kingdom."

Having such a graceful answer from the queen through Tanya off. Her reasoning made clearer why Elsa decided to come along with the princess, even with the princess' stubbornness.

"Um… thanks," Tanya looked straight into Elsa's topaz blue eyes. They sparkled with the flickering of the campfire.

Elsa could tell Tanya was again at loss for words. Another example of how the princess was not very tactful with what she said. But this time it was different. It was not out of rudeness, or choosing to end the conversation there. Tanya was distracted, distracted and staring at the queen.

Elsa wished how she could gaze back into Tanya's. Her light brown hair glowed a reddish hue, and her ocean blue eyes, like the trees, were a dark contrast from the flames. But she could not stare at the princess like she did. She could not allow herself to, and not promote more of her own unrealities. So Elsa ignored Tanya, and stared back into the fire.

Falling asleep that night was hard. With her responsibilities, kingdom, and family she temporarily left behind haunting her, she could make herself still. There was also the chance of their pursuers finding them, though they had put out the fire hours ago. And then there was Tanya and her own issues. But more importantly just Tanya. After hours of thinking and her mind racing, Elsa finally fell asleep.

Kristoff felt lonely without Anna there. Ever since she left to find her sister, everything about Arendelle seemed colorless and bland. His motivation had not entirely left him, but he found doing his everyday tasks more difficult and unsatisfying. He knew he was not depressed, rather he just could not keep his mind from missing Anna.

He also missed his best friend Sven terribly. They had never been apart for more than a couple days. He knew having Sven with Anna, was almost like him being there with his soon to be wife. Almost the same.

Internally, Kristoff was extremely worried. He knew Elsa was totally capable by herself. But was Anna? Even with Olaf and the magical birds guiding her, she was not exactly the most street smart or careful. All the rash decisions Anna made when they traveled up the North Mountain, replayed through his mind. And even with her decisions, he was at least there to prevent her from getting hurt, at least most of the time. He should not have let her go alone.

_Maybe instead of worrying, this will ultimately be good for our relationship. Maybe we need this separation. _

But then if Elsa and Anna never came back, Kristoff could not bear to think about that, Arendelle might look to him. He doubted it, since was not related to the royal family in any way. Both of his parents were poor, and died of disease when he was just a toddler, which left him an orphan. But he had become somewhat of a public figure, being engaged to Anna. Since Elsa and Anna were the last of the royal bloodline, responsibility to keep the country stable could potentially fall onto his shoulders.

No matter how much he tried to distract himself, he could not stop worrying.

Kristoff had no idea what the royal duties were, nor exactly what Elsa did every day to run the country. He had taken royal etiquette lessons of course, since he would soon be married to Anna. That was a necessity, no matter how boring and dull he found it. Surprisingly he picked up on it with relative ease. He had no problem with all the politesse, like how to eat at a table. But as for placing laws, making agreements and trading with other kingdoms, and all those things he really knew nothing about. Kristoff really did not like thinking about it. Everything all seemed to go over his head. But if the kingdom did fall on to him for some reason, he would assume people in the castle would continue to train him.

He had just entered the back gates to the castle with one of the castle horses from delivering ice. Because he was now engaged to Anna, he did not deliver or harvest ice nearly as much as he had before. There was no need to. But when he did it was more so as a hobby, and because it reminded him of his mountaineering days.

He led the large brown horse back into its stable, poured some food into its bucket, and undid the saddle. He groomed the horse with its brush, as it munched eagerly on its dinner. Kristoff did not care for horses, but did not dislike them either. He could take them or leave them. But he had grown so accustomed to riding and driving Sven, that horses were only sub-par. Even if Sven usually did not like to be ridden on. This older horse had been very good and obedient though throughout the whole trip, and deserved grooming after the long day. Besides, taking care of the horse in a way reminded him of his mangy companion.

The blond man heard whispers far at the other side of the stables. An unusual place to do business. If people wanted to talk in private, they would usually go in room inside a castle or even into the woods. But not a stable. Curious, Kristoff was tempted to find out where the voices were exactly coming from. It was not his place to snoop, but when something seemed or felt unusual, he usually proceeded to check it out.

Putting back the brush and slowly closing the horse's gate, he made sure to move quietly to the other side of the stable. Most, if not all of the horses were gone, so he did not worry about disturbing the other animals. The voices were coming from the last stable at the far end. Luckily Kristoff's moccasins did not make a sound. He hid in the stable, two stalls away from the voices.

He could not make out whose voices they were exactly, but they definitely voices of men. Kristoff kneeled down and hid himself in the corner.

"What if Her Majesty is never to be seen again? What if Princess Anna doesn't return?" The first voice was clearly upset.

"I have a plan," whispered back the second deeper voice, cool and collected.

"Yeah? And what might that be?"

"I can't tell you. But I promise that the royal line will continue regardless."

"How can it, if the queen and princess disappear and never come back? They are the last of the royal bloodline. The king left no other sons or daughters, and he was an only child, leaving no distant relatives."

"It will continue."

"Through Kristoff?"

"No." The second voice snapped. "Kristoff has no ounce royal blood. I had my men dig through the archives, and we traced his family tree. They were all poor farmers and harvesters. And his bloodline is just the beginning. He cannot and will not become king if I can help it."

"But isn't he engaged to Princess Anna?" The first voice mentioned as if to remind the other man. "He has become a public figure of sorts with Arendelle, especially after the engagement. Many people are starting to look to him."

"Without the princess, he cannot enter into the royal family. He has absolutely no real training as a royal, not even as a knight or a guard. Most young boys grow up learning these skills, and what did he learn to do? How to harvest ice, and became a grizzly mountain man of all things! I don't see how the Princess could have chosen him," there was a twinge of bitterness in the first man's voice.

"But the public, even royals from the other nations like him. He might not be of royal descent, but the people can sometimes sway the law when the time gets desperate."

"I know that! You just have to trust my word that I have it all under control. The queen was wrong and rash for leaving her kingdom the way she did. And the princess was even more so. They are both unfit to rule in my opinion. Remember, the queen almost wiped out the whole kingdom with her ice. I will make sure the kingdom will not be left in that man's hands. Even if I have to take care of him myself."

Kristoff sat silently in shock. Did they really want him gone so badly? Did the people really look up to him that much, since the queen and princess left? And who wanted him gone entirely? He wished he could just peek around the corner to see the two men, but that would definitely blow his cover. The former ice harvester was strong, but he did not know the size of his two potential opponents. It was better for him to stay hidden for the time being.

The two men continued whispering as they walked out and closed the gate to the stall. Kristoff could feel them coming closer and closer. He wanted to take a tiny look around to see who they were, but did not dare move. They passed his stall quietly, and walked farther down the stable. The blond man heard the feet stop.

One of the voices spoke, "There's a horse here. Looks like his rider just came in."

"Well, check whose horse it is."

_Uh oh._

Kristoff needed to get out of there now. He lifted his head to check where the men were. They were heading into his horse's stall. That was his opportunity to get out of there. He quickly and silently went out the doors of the stable that were right across from him, conveniently. And when he escaped outside, he ran fast around the castle. He would use the side entrance, go back to his room, bathe quickly, and change into fresh clothes. It would look as if he had not been out the whole day.

He knew however that those men must work inside the castle, and that they could possibly recognize it was the horse he was riding lately. If not now, then they would get one of the stable workers to identify its rider.

Kristoff knew he was in trouble, and while he had time to get ready for dinner, he would formulate his own plan.

Kristoff had carried on through the rest of the evening until dinner, as if he did not hear the events from earlier. He wished he could have seen a glimpse of those trying to rid of him, but it was too late to wish. Now he would just have to be smart, and careful of everything.

_Especially during dinner._

There was always a chance that someone could sneak venom into his food, or that the chair he sat in would be laced with poison. He thought of going to the kitchen to keep an eye on the chef, or have a taste tester sample his food before he took the first bite. But all that was too obvious, knowing himself. He would get caught or discovered snooping around, making the castle workers suspicious. He was not the most concealable guy.

He would play it cool, like there was nothing in the world to worry about. He would go about in the castle like he usually did before dinnertime; hungry.  
>The mountain man changed into some nice khaki colored pants, and a nice blue Arendelle tunic and belt. His clothes looked good on him in the mirror, at least Kristoff thought. They fit him well, not to tight or too loose. It was not an extremely fancy outfit, but was what most royals wore when they did not have to impress another royal. There was nothing bad with dressing more appropriate for the castle, though he did miss wearing his comfortable leather and fur clothes. Especially his sof-as-a-cloud bell shaped moccasins. But if this is what he had to do to fit into the royal circle, so be it. His life was at stake.<p>

Kristoff entered the dining hall to see people start to sit down. Businessmen from a nearby kingdom were at the castle to strike a trading agreement with Arendelle. Because Elsa was not present, they were pushing to make a deal with Kai and other officials, before forming an alliance. It had to do with a rare metal only native to their land, which was very durable and expensive. They wished to trade this metal with some of Arendelle's famous gold, because it was so scarce in their land. Their wish was to trade with a small amount, which was no small amount to Kristoff, and see if it would improve the economy, or if it was a waste. It was good that they were testing it out first. If both kingdoms made profit, a new alliance could be formed.

It was wise that the men from the other kingdom were told Elsa was gone on a business trip. If they had known she was missing for two weeks, they could be tempted to take other actions. Arendelle was strong enough to hold its own for some time, but it could not last without a monarch forever.

Kristoff made sure while both royals were gone, to study up on Arendelle's government, trade partners, neighbors, economic status, and who had power aside from Elsa. It was unlike him to care about things like this, but really was not so bad after a while. It would be an extremely smart decision for him to learn this stuff, he decided. And he was doing his best to be someone Anna could rely upon. That was what mattered most to him, no matter if she was there or not, that he was doing his best for her.

The more Kristoff involved himself with the matters of the kingdom, the more likely he would become a responsible ruler the people would approve of. But deep down, he knew those strange men in the stable ultimately wanted him gone, not just because he was not a trained ruler, but mostly of commoner blood. That part of him, he could not change. But most of the citizens liked him, because he helped save Arendelle after the coronation gone wrong a summer ago.

A gentleman stood in between Kristoff and the dining table. He was dressed in a nice suit, though it was not the style of most neighboring kingdoms.

"I am Fritz, businessman of the Duke of Noorland. Pleasure to meet you."

Kristoff accepted his handshake, and with just as much enthusiasm replied, "Kristoff of Arendelle, the princess' soon-to-be husband."

"I see, and where is your bride to be?"

"She's off with Elsa on her business trip," Kristoff lied. "I'm her to make sure all her duties are performed."

"Ah a shame, as it would have been the first time meeting the royal family."

"Yeah, their schedules have been pretty packed as of late."

"I can see." Fritz raised an eyebrow. "Let's take a seat now, and discuss the reason why we've come here today."

The long table was set with a green table cloth, and expensive dishes and silverware. Every seat was filled, mostly by men and women older than he. He thought at least, that he was respectable enough to the representative of Noorland. The kingdom was probably about a month's travel going directly northeast of Arendelle.

Kristoff was doing his very best to understand the potential agreement being made over dinner. But a good portion of his focus was on whether those wanting him gone would try and make a move. There was only one way to find out. And if Kristoff did not eat at dinner, that would look bad to his guests. Those who knew him around the castle would immediately think something was wrong.

First, he took a few spoonful of soup and waited. Nothing was happening that made him feel unwell. After he polished off the soup, he went for the salad on his plate. Still no ill effects. He was relieved, and took a drink of his water. Nothing. It became clear to Kristoff that then would not have been a good time to rid him. Not with important guests sitting directly across from him. That would definitely ruin the whole possible trading arrangement, and Noorland would be potentially framed. Obviously, the man who wanted Kristoff out of the way cared for Arendelle, and the kingdom's well-being. He would not risk an opportunity to boost the economy, by poisoning some mountain man on the dinner table.

There was something weird about how Fritz questioned Kristoff about his fiancé. Of course, he was just old, maybe a little curious towards the queen and princess' absence.

After dinner, Kristoff who was wiped out from earlier, went back to his room to wash his face and hair. Looking into the mirror, he admitted to himself he needed to take care of his hair more often. He changed into his night clothes, brewed some herbal tea for himself, and picked up a huge book about Arendelle's history from his night desk. He did not make past two chapters before the herbal tea kicked in, and he passed out.

Anna rode on Sven, with Olaf in her lap. She knew she was lucky just to be riding Sven, as he did not let anybody else besides Kristoff do so. The magical birds never took a rest from flying, besides when they camped for the night.

The princess was surprised that they had not run into any other people, besides the traveler they passed by. The man was strange and sort of mysterious. The way he inquired about her friends and her travels made her uneasy. But there was no sign of anyone following them, which eased her worries.

They were riding along the cliffs next to the vast sea, which put itself between them and Arendelle. It was now several days since a scenery change. And though it was beautiful, Anna grew tired of seeing the same things over and over again.

_Did Elsa pass through here? _The Princess wondered. She trusted her magical guides, that they were leading her in the right direction. But there was always worrisome thoughts in the back of her head. Being bored so easily for so long only made them fester more.

But while being bored, most of their travels were filled up with talking, mostly between Anna and Olaf. Occasionally there would be grunts from Sven, who was obviously more tired than they were.

"Thank you Sven for letting us ride on your back," Anna said to the reindeer. In response, Sven just grunted and smiled.

"But I think we'll walk for a bit, to give your back a rest."

Sven made an obviously, relieved sound as the girl slid off the blanket.

She looked at her surroundings. It was the same thing she was seeing for the past few days. Forest to her left, cliffs and sea to her right, light gray clouds, and tall grass. Anna squinted her eyes. In the distance there seemed to be a town, with what looked like ships. The closer they got, it became clearer, and her eyes did not fail her. The path split in two directions, one heading for the town, and the left path into the forest. The girl started to move towards the right path, with Sven and Olaf, but the birds started flying in front of her path. They hinted at the other path that they started circling around.

Anna did not know how to interpret it. Were they supposed to go in the forest? But she was tired, her stomach empty, and her feet hurt.

"Anna, I think they're trying to tell us to take the other path," commented Olaf. Sven made a grunt in agreement.

"Well, there's a town over here, and we are running out of food. Plus I could rest my feet for a bit, and I know Sven could definitely as well."

The snowman and reindeer just looked at each other. It was tempting to take the other path, but it was way off in the other direction. Their only guides clearly chose the other option. The birds started circling around Anna to get her attention, and convince her not to.

"I promise, we will be in and out of there within an hour. Just to get what we need," she said to one of the birds that landed on her finger. It did not reply back, but instead flew off. It landed next to the other bird on a tree branch, near where the paths forked.

"Um ok then, we won't take too long. Can you wait for us there please?" A chirp confirmed it had understood her.

Olaf was starting to follow them, when Anna turned to him. "You might want to stay with our guides Olaf. Not because I don't want you to come, but to make sure our guides don't leave us." Realistically, Anna did not want Olaf to come with her and Sven into the village, because seeing a magical snowman might alarm some people. And that could create trouble. Not everyone welcomed Olaf, despite how friendly he was, or how warm his hugs were.

"You can count on me Anna," he whispered back to her.

"And if people come along, it would be best to stay out of their sight. Who knows what travelers might do in these parts?"

"I'm on it!" Olaf winked, and started talking to the birds. "Heyyyy you two, I'll be staying behind with you! I definitely need a rest right now, and thought you might like company."

Anna and Sven were far enough away, that they could only see that Olaf was clearly welcome to hang with the guides.

"Alright Sven, we'll go in there, get what we need, and be out before the sun starts to set. I promise I won't take too long."


	13. Chapter 13 - The Woman of the Woods

**Just a note:**

Hi guys, thanks for reading this far! I can't believe how many people have read PWF. It's definitely encouraging. :)  
>Don't hesitate to leave comments, whether its a question, kudos, or constructive criticism.<br>Also, I have a tumblr which I recently started up again: .com  
>Feel free to follow, or just ignore this.<p>

Anyways to the story.

**13.**

"We're lost."

"You're telling me."

The queen was initially frustrated that Tanya made them take a route moving further into the darker part of the woods. The other trail that Elsa suggested could have led them in the correct course, to a main road.

"Well I thought I could figure out the way through here, and that it would be safer. I'm usually pretty accurate with directions. But this way seems to go on forever."

That's how it appeared to Elsa as well.

She was mostly sure but not positive they passed the same boulder a few times. The dusky green birch and pine trees covered the canopy above, with their overshadowing branches. So far there was no sign of the sky or sun, so there was no real way of telling the direction they were headed.

"I guess it's not your fault, there was a chance of getting lost here either way." Though Elsa was frustrated at the situation, she could not make herself upset with the brunette. After all, she did not intentionally try to lead them astray.

Tanya shook her head. "It _was_ a tiny bit my fault, since I insisted on taking this way… and now it's gone."

Both girls stopped in their tracks. The trail ended abruptly, in front of them. "Well that could be a problem."

"Don't worry, I know what to do!"

"And what might that be?" Elsa asked.

"I'll climb one of these trees to the top, and look to see where we actually are."

Before Elsa could respond, Tanya was scrambling up the tree like a monkey. A cute little monkey. She laughed, the last time she had climbed a tree was during her childhood. When she was five maybe? Anna must have been three then, so still too little to climb trees that would seem gigantic to her. It was an activity she and Anna enjoyed, though they would end up snagging most of their dresses. When they came back to the castle in leaves and twigs, Gerda their maid and nanny at the time, would scold them. It was obvious the nanny was never truly angry at them, rather it was to the extent of irritated.

"Wow it's really hard to see up here!" Tanya yelled down to the queen from above, doing her best to avoid pine nettles.

"Can you see anything now?" Elsa yelled.

"Give me a second, I'm trying not to fall to my death," she said sarcastically. The princess fixed her footing on one of the branches, after the previous one had snapped.

When she was a little farther up, Elsa called out, "Now?"

Tanya reached the top, panting and catching her breath. It was a tall climb, and her arms would be tired later. She scanned the area for some hope of settlement, smoke, or anything which seemed remotely hopeful. "We're heading in the right direction…"

"Go on?" The younger girl could not see Elsa, but could hear her distant voice.

"…But the forest seems to never end around us. Every way I turn, it's a sea of trees."

Elsa was tired of being lost, but now she began to worry. Who knew how long it would take them to escape the maze?

"Wait! I see a faint string of smoke in the direction we are heading. We are going the right way after all," she said self-assuredly.

"Thanks for the update, now come down before you slip and fall up there!"

"But the view's so wonderful up here, just trees for miles on end!" Tanya said sarcastically, her silky hair fell in her face as she already was making her way down.

But the princess underestimated the too-thin branch, when she placed her right foot atop. The branch snapped underneath, and she lost balance with her left foot. Unable to grab anything else in time, Tanya fell backwards. The fall was at least twenty five to thirty feet.

In that moment, Elsa had a flashback of her childhood. It was not a good time to remember this particular painful memory of growing up, but she could not help it. She and her sister had snuck out into the ballroom early morning, after Anna begged her to make her a wintery wonderland. Elsa was creating snow piles for Anna to jump from one to another, when her own foot slipped. Unbalanced, she sent a blast of ice intending to make another snow pile, but instead hit Anna right in the side of her head. The redhead toddler fell down the mound, unconscious.

Instead of Anna in front of her, it was Tanya. But Elsa would not allow her past memories to get in the way of reacting quickly.

The ice queen created a thick snow pile under herself, as she held her arms open to catch the girl. As the princess made contact, the giant white mound of snow completely engulfed both of them. Similar to the reaction of jumping into a leaf pile or a lake, the snow flew everywhere. She was not usually so clumsy with her powers, she did not exactly have time to plan for a situation like this.

Snow splattered everything on the surrounding ground and trees, Elsa and Tanya's heads popped up from the top of the pile. Elsa had caught the brown haired girl in her arms, who had snowflakes all over her face.

"Achoo!" Tanya sneeze loudly, covering it with her arms. It made the queen chuckle.

The queen became hot in the face from the panic that came back with her memory with Anna. _This was such an Anna thing to do. But Tanya's really not like Anna at all. _

There was awe in the princess' blue-green eyes, as if she was looking at her savior. "Oh um, thanks for saving me," Tanya said embarrassedly snapping out of a daze and blushed, tucking strands of hair away from her pale face. "I should have seen that coming, really."

Elsa did not know how to respond back to something like this, she did not know how to talk to girls at all. But she managed to say from her wobbly voice, "Of course, I would have any day."

_What a thoughtless thing to say._

That made the girl smile, before melting all the snow off of her with her powers. The blonde figured she must have the ability to raise her external body temperature as well.

"That's a practical skill to know," Elsa pointed out.

"It's usually how I dry off fast after washing or bathing. But it's not as nifty as your powers though. Your abilities are amazing. You literally created a whole pile of snow to catch me."

She noticed Tanya's facial expression and body language. _Something seemed to be bugging her,_ Elsa thought, but kept it to herself.

"Anyway, I saw some smoke coming from a mile away or so," the younger woman pointed out. "It was just a thin line, so it was probably some sort of campfire or chimney. Either way, I say we go check it out."

"Wait," Elsa caught the girl by the hand, before her curiosity got the best of her. "We don't know who it could be. There is nothing else for miles, for all we know it could be those men we left behind days ago." Even though Tanya was the type to quickly make decisions, Elsa had to be cautious, for the both of them.

"Oh I doubt it," she scoffed. "Really, what are the chances of us bumping into those ruffians here anyway?"

The queen sighed. The chances, she estimated, were probably very slim. Tanya did have a point there. "Alright we'll check it out. But we are not revealing ourselves to anyone unless we know it's safe."

"Deal," Tanya extended her right hand out, and they shook on it.

It ended up being a chimney coming from a house, as Tanya had correctly guessed. There stood a cottage, with giant stone steps leading up to the front door. The yard was encircled by an intimidating black metal fence with spikes in gothic style. To Elsa's displeasure, lining the fence there were skulls with lit candles in them. Most likely human, though a few looked animalistic. The candles which lit the bones flickered with an almost magical quality.

_Good to know…_

She could smell something very rotten, figuratively and literally, coming from the house. In her stomach, Elsa had a very ominous feeling about the place.

_Out of every cottage in the world, we had to end up here._

"So um, what do you want to do?" Tanya looked just as wary as Elsa.

"I don't like this place," she stated in a quiet voice.

"Me neither."

"It's better if we go now, before whoever lives here is aware of our presence."

_"Excuuuse me, but she already knows."_

A different voice broke in the thin air, coming from the seemingly depraved house. Elsa and Tanya looked nervously around, though nobody was to be found.

"Up here," the voice said tiredly, coming from the fence. There was a thin black cat, relaxing on the metal gate. Its fur was mangy and knotted, and the outline of ribs poked out from its sides.

"Yeah, she already knows you're here. So it really doesn't matter if you go off or not."

"A talking cat?" Elsa had seen nothing like it. She was not too surprised though, Olaf was the most shocking thing she encountered that could talk.

"Isn't it obvious? This voice isn't coming from anywhere else. And it's downright evident that I'm unmistakably of the smartest cats in the world. Only the brightest creatures (with a little help of magic) can talk."

"Congratulations on your achievement, we were just about to go, so it was nice meeting you," Tanya rushed as she grabbed Elsa's hand and made for the woods.

The cat laughed, "You're really not going back in there, are you?"

Elsa stopped in her tracks, pulling the princess back slightly. "And why not?"

"The woods are only going to lead you back here. That's what they do with everybody. If they don't direct you back to the cottage, you will become so lost, you won't realize it until you've walked a hundred times in circles." The cat moved along the fence, and continued, "That's what typically happens anyway."

Tanya, Elsa could tell, was not enjoying the situation at all. Whoever was the master of the house knew they were already there, most likely understood magic, and was possibly not even human. Elsa decided if they were to face whoever was in the house, their magic of ice and fire combined could fend off any sort of potential demon.

Elsa pulled Tanya back, who was clearly not happy. "What is your name?"

"Lev, a pleasure to meet you," the cat's chest puffed out. "And who might you be?" The tom glared at Tanya.

Elsa had a gut feeling the cat was toying around with them, while someone else was watching from the house. Deep down she knew there was no getting away, so they just had to face whatever was there. Getting down to the point, she asked, "Where's your master Lev? I'm curious to meet them."

"Of course," Lev did something with the tall black gate to make it open for them. "My apologies. Right this way."

Tanya secretly shot her a scowl.

The black cat led them up the stone pathway, and up the giant steps to the door. Was this cat cursed with some enchantment? Would they both be turned into animals, or end up as a decoration for the fence? The queen and princess looked at each other hesitantly. But it was too late, because the door swung open in front of them loudly.

Greeting them at the door appeared to be an old lady, who was just as thin as her cat. She wore a dark blue dress with an off-white apron, and brown boots to match. Her gray hair was bushy and scraggly, and her face screamed of age. The woman had a large curved nose, though not overly large or pointy, and a crooked front tooth. Her eyes were piercing, wild but wise. She was wearing floral patterned oven mittens, and from the smell of it, appeared to be in the middle of cooking.

"Ah I've been expecting you both. Now don't just stand there, come in, come in!"

Elsa did not know if the eccentric stranger was to be trusted, but she walked inside bravely, with Tanya following behind. Inside was a fully furnished house. Most objects and furniture looked very old like they had been used for years. It was not necessarily dirty, rather dusty, with some cob webs here and there. There was an engraved wooden table with chairs, in the dining room next to the kitchen. Shelves with many antique and some ancient looking books lined shelves upon shelves. The woman who lived here had to be very clever.

"Now if you'll pardon me, I just need to move the kettle from the fire, and the soup off the stove. Sit down, it shan't take too much longer." The old, frail woman rushed into the kitchen as the kettle started to scream. It was the only thing that made noise in the entire house, piercing the quiet room.

The two of them sat down in chairs, which were cushioned. The table was already made and set, with a forest green table cloth, bowls, silverware, and teacups. There was a candle in the middle, dripping with wax onto the silver candleholder.

There was an uncomfortable silence at the table, apart from the clanking of pans coming from the kitchen. Tanya started twirling her thumbs, and a strand of hair fell into her face again. Quickly she tucked it behind her ear.

Lev jumped on top of the table across from the girls, and his stomach rumbled. "Well I am certainly hungry, aren't you? I haven't eaten in days!" That certainly appeared to be the case. The cat came over to inspect Elsa, like any other cat would, and looked at her expectantly. Not knowing what else to do, Elsa stroked Lev's black fur, and he started to smile and purr.

"Ah right there, that's the ticket." He kept purring until he suddenly stopped, and his nose twitched. Lev moved away from Elsa's delicate hand, and sniffed her a few times.

"Hmmm, interesting," he muttered to himself. He went over to Tanya and sniffed her as well. The princess was not a fan of cats, or at least this cat, as Elsa could obviously see.

"Oh!" A mew came out of the cat's mouth as he immediately jumped off the table, and strode into the kitchen.

As the black cat approached the shadow of the woman cooking, she looked down as he whispered something.

"What!?"

Lev mewed very quietly a response to his master's outburst.

The woman went silent before speaking again, "Well I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Elsa was extremely confused. _What in the world was going on in there? What did the old lady mean? _Clearly the younger girl was thinking the same thing. There was something that the two strangers were hiding from them.

"I don't like the feeling of this, let's get out of here while they're still preoccupied," Tanya whispered closely in Elsa's ear. Tanya's whispering in the queen's ear made her insides jump.

But again, it was an opportunity too late. The woman walked out with a tray with three bowls of soup. On the top of Lev's head was a tray with a kettle. How the cat was balancing that heavy thing on his head, Elsa did not know.

The empty bowls were replaced with an orange-ish looking soup, and the woman poured black tea into each of their cups.

"Cream? Sugar?"

Tanya shook her head, and Elsa said, "No thank you, I'm fine. I'll have it black for the moment."

"Very well," she poured a bit of cream and a sugar cube into her own teacup. The woman passed the rest of the cream to Lev, who happily started lapping it up on the table next to her.

"I don't think we have formally introduced ourselves," Elsa was determined to make conversation as much as she had to, in order to figure out the woman's ulterior motives.

"Of course, where are my manners? The woman shook her head. My name is Baba Yaga, and I'm sure you've met Lev." The black cat mewed quite contently, while cleaning the milk off his face. "What might your names be?"

Elsa was tempted to lie to the woman, and give a fake name and reason why they got lost. Something about the house, the cat, the woman, seemed a little too peculiar. But if the two had already had spied on them in the woods, there surely was not much they could hide.

"My name is Elsa, Queen of Arendelle."

Baba Yaga was not surprised one bit. "You tell the truth. Wise girl." She turned over to Tanya, who had been mostly silent the entire time. Elsa knew she was incredibly uncomfortable.

"Tanya, Princess of Aldyn."

The old lady seemed satisfied. "Now how did you manage to so luckily become lost in my woods, and end up here?"

"Sorry to not answer your question directly, but you seem to know at least a lot about us already," said Elsa.

"Yes, although I don't know a lot about you both, or why you are here. But I can always tell when someone is avoiding the truth or lying to me. So with that being said, why have you come to see me now?"

"Actually we were not intentionally seeking your place for any reason, outside of curiosity. We saw your chimney smoke from a distance. It was the only thing we could see besides trees for miles," Tanya spoke up.

"The forest does that. It projects an illusion to its travelers, clouding their judgement." Baba Yaga's voice was shaky.

"You asked us our reason for coming here, what is your trade?" Elsa eyed the ancient books on the shelf with interest, and raised an eyebrow.

"I can see you are very observant," Baba Yaga said. "Indeed I am the witch of these woods, though I like the term wise woman a bit better. Don't you think? It seems to have a better ring to it, and less of a stigma."

"It certainly does."

"My cat Lev, who you've met already, is very wise as well. As a kitten, he was gifted with intelligence." Baba Yaga pet Lev with her long, bony fingertips. "You two are certainly luckier than most folk."

"And why is that?" Asked Tanya earnestly.

"Because you have been truthful with me, I will be truthful with you. Most people who come to this cottage seek me for a reason, and intend to trick me to give them what they want. Now these men and women lied to my face, stole from me, or were simply not magical beings nor were capable of magic. Those people, whether I liked them or not, I ate."

Tanya's eyes grew wide, and Elsa could tell, her palms became sweaty. The queen herself felt as if her ice powers had frozen her in one place, so that she could not move.

_Was… this woman intending to cook us!? Is she still…?_

"And no, I don't intend on eating either of you. I was preparing for it actually, but when Lev sniffed your scent, he right away detected you both possess magical abilities. Now I don't eat magical beings, because they're bad for my indigestion. People who are honest with me I don't eat, since there should be more honest people in this forsaken world. So that puts you both out of the question." Baba Yaga sighed. "Plus I've been trying to get on a strictly fish and vegetable diet for the last few years. I've been trying to lose those last few pounds."

As Baba Yaga patted her belly, Elsa thought that losing weight was the last thing the witch needed. But she did not dare to say that out loud.

"So you could tell we have powers?" Tanya asked.

"With Lev, it was very obvious. So tell me now, what are they?"

Elsa spoke before Tanya, "We'll show you ours if you show us yours."

"On my honor as a witch and wise woman."

Elsa flicked her fingertips, and her thoughts swirled in her soul. In a pinch, the whole table with everything on top of it was frozen solid into a sculpture. The ice was so pure that you could see right through it, and it reflected light all throughout the room. Lev wasn't turned into ice, but his feet were stuck to the table top. In just as much time it took to freeze the table, Elsa waved her hands and the magical ice evaporated into thin air. The table, silverware, and food were left in their original forms.

"Very impressive. I have never seen anything like it before, in all my years." Baba Yaga looked over at Tanya. "Now it's your turn to share child."

Elsa could tell the girl did not know what to present. If she set anything on fire, she might not be able to put it out. The candle in the middle of the table was now unlit thanks to her powers. The princess suddenly had a look of enlightenment, and with one of her fingertips, there lit a flame, like a dagger. Pulling the finger up to her lips, Tanya blew in the direction of the candle. The flame traveled on Tanya's breath, and lit the candle wick. To the queen, it looked as if the princess had just breathed out fire, and it was beautiful.

"Very smart girl," Baba Yaga was very fascinated with both of them. "You have a very enchanting but dangerous power as well. I suppose it's my turn, don't you think so Lev?"

"Yes, they should be allowed to see what you are capable of."

"Its black magic, isn't it?" Tanya spoke up.

"Oh dearie, I don't really like to call it that. It's more so a very prehistoric and ancient magic which goes back for centuries. I'm indeed adept in many areas of this study of magic. For example, with potions." Baba Yaga took a flask from her sleeve and dropped the blue liquid from the vile into her tea cup. It blew out a blue puff of smoke.

"I have the power to give life and bring death to vegetation." With a wave of her hand, they witnessed through the window young birch trees popping up from the ground outside. As quickly as they sprung out, they withered into sticks. "Shapeshifting is another," the old woman turned herself into a cat identical to Lev. When he turned to see his master, he jumped straight up in the air in surprise. "These are only just a few," she turned back into an old woman. "But what I am most proud of, is the ability to read the soul," Baba Yaga went near Tanya, and played with a strand of her hair as she passed by. "Because that doesn't just take magic, but knowledge as well."

"So tell me," Baba Yaga put her hands on the back of Elsa's chair, and leaned in. "Would you like me to do so for the both of you?"

Elsa froze. "What does it cost?"

"Not a penny."

"No what I mean is, what's in it for you, if you read our souls?"

"Fair question. Understand I am being truthful when I say there's no selfish motive."

After some thought Elsa responded, "Very well then."

"Elsa." Tanya whispered in the corner of her mouth. In every inch of her being, Elsa could see the princess wanted to be as far away from Baba Yaga as possible. The queen clearly saw that she did not like the idea of this one bit. But Elsa knew when someone was lying to her as well, and she believed Baba Yaga was being honest with them.

"You can tell mine first. But first explain, what exactly is a soul reading?"

"Why it's the truth in your heart soul exposed, as I like to put it," the witch chuckled. "However the soul is very guarded by layers of memories and feelings, so it needs a little help and support to open it up. Those barriers to the soul will also be revealed, as they hinder people from opening up properly."

"So it's similar to a palm reading or fortune-telling."

"In a sense."

Baba Yaga got up out of her chair, humming, and went to a giant cupboard. Opening up the main cabinet, it revealed several jars and thousands of vials of foreign liquids. Elsa assumed they were the all potions, and her hands started to get very cold.

"Ah where is it now, I had it in a jar somewhere…" Baba Yaga murmured to herself, as she sorted through the jungle of glass. "It was here just a few days ago when I made a new batch… Here it is!" The woman picked up a small marmalade glass jar with a seemingly simple, clear fluid inside. She came back to the table with a teaspoon in her other fragile hand.

"I just made a new batch of this the other day ago, as it expires around this time every year. Now what we need to do is take just one teaspoon of this, and orally intake it," the old witch instructed similar to how one would talk to themselves. "The awkward taste disappears if you mix it into another liquid, something like tea or soup."

"I'll have it in my tea please," the queen requested.

"Tea as well will do for me," Tanya added.

In both of their cups as the watery liquid entered the tea, it blew a spark. Their drinks turned their drinks to a dark, cloudy color. Elsa took the cup in her right hand, and put the substance up to her lips. Surprisingly, the tea did not taste any different than before. But in a matter of seconds, she could feel her chest suddenly getting colder and hotter at the same time. It was a strange sensation, much different than a normal heartburn.

"What's happening?" Elsa put her hands to her chest.

"It's working, that's what's happening! And thank goodness. It will go away in a minute or two. It's best to not panic at all. Now, we can do business!" Baba Yaga took out a cone shaped object from her sleeve, put the small opening to her ear, and the big opening against Elsa's chest.

"Mmhmm… yes… yes?" The woman appeared as if she was talking to herself again. Neither Elsa nor Tanya could hear anything.

"Um…I don't think…" Tanya began.

"You're right, you're not thinking. Now shush," the wise woman silenced her. "I'm trying to listen and hear what her soul has to say." Baba Yaga put her full attention to listening though the cone.

After a few minutes of saying "go on," and agreeing with whatever the cone was telling her, the old woman backed off and concluded, "Very interesting, you have a lot to say my dear."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Elsa asked.

"Why, it can be either. It's your response that counts."

"So tell me then, what did my heart tell you?" Elsa was skeptical about the whole "soul reading" thing. It sounded a lot like bogus to her, and she knew well enough that fortune tellers only told people what they wanted to hear. They were only after money or personal gain. Yet what Baba Yaga was doing seemed different.

"You've been in a lot of pain your whole life, haven't you?"

Elsa did not know what to respond with, she felt her chest tighten.

"You still hold on to the past, especially what happened with your coronation and your sister. Although there is something new worrying you. Something that has happened very recently, has been haunting your dreams at night. Your heart did not want me to speak specifics out loud, so I will honor that. However, you _need_ to know that the past isn't going to repeat itself again. You have become so worked up about what has happened, that it's difficult to let things go."

Elsa, for the first time in a while, felt her insides starting to boil. Her whole life she tried letting her problems go away, but it was always hard for her to. She was embarrassed Baba Yaga was saying all these things in front of Tanya, even though no particular details were shared. Elsa outwardly kept her composure.

"Go on," she kept urging the wise woman, waiting for her to continue.

"Worrying and fretting about things of the past is only building strife inside you. You cannot help what you have no power over. Your soul told me it's longing to be still, and to find some peace of mind. When you can accept your past and yourself, then you can create a new life within yourself."

The queen felt like she had just been summed up. No fortune teller could be this accurate about someone they barely knew. Under the table her hands were freezing, and spun her thumbs around; a nervous habit she thought she broke long ago.

Baba Yaga looked satisfied with her reading and told the queen, "During the next few days, you will feel more open to yourself and people around you. That can also be a good and bad thing. You have to be careful with what or who you listen to, even yourself. The same goes with you," the wise woman turned to the princess.

"I thought you just said we are supposed to listen to ourselves," the younger girl said, confused.

"You heard me right. But sometimes your heart can tell you things you want to hear, and not always the truth. Now I believe it's your turn to drink from the cup."

Lev nudged the teacup closer to the princess. Hesitantly, she picked it up with both hands, and brought the tea to her pink lips. Immediately she made a funny face, and coughed the liquid down her throat.

Tanya patted her chest, "Is this stuff _really_ alright to consume?"

"Old batches of this potion tend to poison people most of the time, but this one was freshly made. Now be quiet, I'm trying to listen!" Baba Yaga already had the cone placed on the princess' chest, which startled her. Elsa just giggled as a smile crept on her pale face. The queen made up her mind, that the old woman did not pose any threat, or mean them harm.

Just like she did with the snow queen, Baba Yaga was talking and whispering similarly into the cone. As she was murmuring to herself, Elsa noticed that Tanya was trying very hard to hold in sarcastic laughter.

"Oh you've got issues dear," the wise woman laughed as she removed the cone, and put it back on a shelf.

Tanya's expression changed dramatically, and became peeved. "Excuse me?"

"Yes, with problems that you are dealing with, and are going to have to face in the future. First thing to do is to accept that."

"I've already known that since…"

"Since you learned of the firebird's curse when you were a little girl," Baba Yaga finished.

"How did you know that!?" The princess' eyes became wide with amazement.

"I thought you would understand by now what I'm doing, after my entire explanation."

"I have been listening this whole time, but…"

"…But you just didn't believe it," the woman finished, interrupting her again. "No, rather, you weren't willing to trust any of it."

"The curse has been with me my whole life."

"Correct, it has been harboring inside you since you were born. However, your power hasn't."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

Taking a quick sip of tea Baba Yaga continued, "You are confusing something you have no control over, with something you have full control over. The firebird did indeed curse your family, and after generations, it placed itself inside you, harboring your soul. That's what it shared with me, when I attempted to communicate with it. It desire is for you to be the instrument in bringing about your kingdom's destruction. But with that curse removed, it does not remove your power, only the inability to control it."

"I can control it, very well I might add."

"Of course you can, right now. You are nowhere near your kingdom, the city the curse has set itself upon to destroy. Eventually, the curse will want to devour you entirely."

The princess' face went pale, and her eyes sunk with fear. The wise woman was touching upon the very subject Tanya tried so hard to escape and avoid. "How do I get rid of it," she said silently, as if to herself. She stared at Baba Yaga, confronting her straight in the eye, burning with a fury Elsa had never seen in the girl.

"How do I get rid of it!?"

In her anger, Tanya accidently caught the wood chair on fire, and could do nothing to put it out herself. But as quickly as it had been lit, Elsa froze the chair over, reaching a hand to the seat and vanquishing the flame. Once the flame went out, the queen thawed the chair and the ice mysteriously vanished. She reached over, taking the princess' sweaty hands. They felt soft within hers, but Tanya didn't seem to notice at all. It was the first time Elsa had ever held the girl's hand.

A stroke of silence occurred, as the old woman gazed at the princess curiously as she looked away. Finally she spoke, "You need to learn how to control yourself."

There was a grief in the Tanya's worn eyes which absorbed her anger. "I've tried ever since I was a little girl! And you just said I will eventually have no control over myself."

"In some logic. But you need to realize," Tanya brought her gaze to meet the woman's once again. "It's not about what you are born with, or who life declares you to be. It's what you do, and what actions you take. Once you accept that, you may be able to change your fate."

"If I may interrupt," Lev leapt up onto the table. "It seems that we have reached the edge of the forest."

"Right on schedule," replied Baba Yaga.

"Wait, we are?" Elsa said, surprised.

"Oh yes. And lucky for you two, it's in the direction you two need to be headed. For me, this is the place where I pick my berries."

Elsa and Tanya looked at each other and then down, to realize that they were holding hands. Tanya let go in embarrassment, her pale cheeks turned rosy.

Baba Yaga went into her kitchen, and brought out two sacks for each of the girls. "There is a little food packed in here for the both of you, enough that it should last you until you arrive in Aldyn. But be careful, from what I have heard from the woods, there is a war about to start there."

As Elsa was about to take the sack from her hand, Baba Yaga spoke again, "I believe you have something of mine as well."

Elsa was confused. _What is the woman talking about?_

Tanya seemed to have an idea however, as she reached into and rummaged through the queen's bag. She took out the wrapped up package and handed it over. "Before making our way through the forest, a man handed this to us, saying we may meet a friend of his in the forest."

Baba Yaga seemed to accept the package, and opened it with care. Inside of the wrapping was another one of her lights she had posted outside the house. "That fellow Geralt never forgot to return it," the old woman chuckled to herself, "even after all his years."

"You know Geralt?" Elsa had a difficult time connecting how the bizarre old woman and fisherman knew one another.

"Oh yes, he got lost deep in the forest as a child and stumbled upon my house. This was before I decided to curb my diet, so I let the child in, intending to have him for supper. However he proved to be a hard, honest, young worker, and well, I just couldn't complain with that. We actually got along very well, might I add. After a while I let him go, lending him with of my lights to assist him out of the forest. Very considerate of him to think of returning it." She gave a wrinkly smile.

The door to her house slammed wide open, exposing the fact they were truly at the end of the forest.

"Now, be on your way!"

Baba Yaga made a motion with her hand, and a strange force made the girls fly out of the cottage. As they stepped onto solid earth, Elsa hesitated before speaking to the old woman. "You told me to focus on the present."

"I did indeed. And?" Baba Yaga spoke down from the front door.

"How is that supposed to 'create a new life' with that knowledge, exactly?"

"Remember what your sister taught you?"

"She taught me about love," Elsa reflected. "But isn't that focusing on the past?"

"There is a difference between reflecting and obsessing over your past. Your sister Anna taught you that with love, you can have full control over your powers and emotions. I believe you'll find soon enough with love, focusing on the present will become much easier."

The ice queen let that sink in. She would contemplate those words.

"Goodbye now!" There was a strange tone in the wise woman's voice in how she bid farewell.

Elsa joined Tanya outside the magical moving house, and watched as it seemed to fade farther away from them, until it magically vanished.

They could see the old woman and her cat at the door step. Through Baba Yaga's shaky voice at a distance, Elsa made out, "Remember what I told you both!"

The trees were much more spread apart now that they were at the edge, and past them could make out rolling hills and mountains.

_So, with love, focusing on the present will become much easier. Is that it?_ Baba Yaga's advice echoed through Elsa's head.

The queen of Arendelle looked over at the ashy brown haired girl, who was busy figuring out what direction to take, and suddenly understood. All the burdens of her childhood, coronation, powers, escape at sea, and duties as queen which overwhelmed her, suddenly evaporated as if they were never existed. None of those things mattered. All she could think of was the way the sun landed on the princess girl's brown hair, making it glow. Or how her forehead creased a little when she was thinking or trying to figure things out. Elsa tried to think of many other details. She finally saw what was in front of her.

_In order to start a new life, live in the present._

_In order to live in the present, love._

_Love..._

_Love?_

In that very moment Elsa accepted something about herself, which she did not want to admit. It took the truth from the wise woman Baba Yaga, to give her the cold hard facts.

_Oh no._

She was in love.

And it scared her.


	14. Chapter 14 - Confession

Elsa could not get her mind on anything else. Her realization occurred out of the blue, as if a boulder ran her over. The younger girl was indeed beautiful, the queen had to admit. She acknowledged it from the very start. But despite her emotions, the queen knew her feelings were meaningless.

_I have too many responsibilities to uphold in Arendelle, I would have no time to court a suitor. _However this excuse did not line up with reality. Her subjects expected her to be wed in due time, as was custom. To add, she was nowhere _near_ Arendelle. Far from it.

_A queen has never pursued a woman alternate to a man. _The thought was half true, at least in Arendelle's royal line. In other kingdoms, there were "scandals" of royals falling in love and marrying the same sex. She could recall a smaller kingdom to the south, where a prince married a duke. On most accounts, those ties were looked at with prejudice. But not every citizen considered it unfavorable.

One thing she worried about, if she took a woman for a suitor, was the public attention. Certainly, she would be cut some slack, unlike the prince and the duke. Though she would of course be rebuked, there was some odd phenomenon which viewed female same-sex couples less distastefully than their male counterparts. It was called a double standard to say the least. But Elsa remembered hearing about two baronesses secretly eloping, and moved to an island in the south. The secret did not last for long. In short time it created a commotion, a useless debate over whether or not their relationship was platonic.

_Those closest to me wouldn't approve. _Elsa could not envision the older, conservative crowd approving of the queen pursuing a woman. Anna was the only family that actually mattered to her, and Elsa knew she would be a firm support. Her younger sister was very open minded. More often than not, too open minded for her own good. She was not sure about Kristoff. But she knew he would not outwardly express his opinion if he disagreed.

It was probable that her subjects would consider dethroning her. The incident had transpired previously with other kingdoms, and Elsa did not exactly hold a squeaky clean record, recalling the events which followed post coronation. At the same time, it was part of Arendelle's culture to be forgiving. This was reflected in the peoples' understanding of how she had lost control. But this time was different. Two weeks had passed since her departure, and though it was not considered a long period to be absent, it was the reason behind it which concerned her. If anyone outside the castle discovered _why _she left, it could put her in trouble. Technically speaking, she was taking a business trip. _That _was it! And most business trips took up to a month, to even six months.

She continued constructing more excuses to tell herself. The blonde was not in a position to even consider romance, thinking back to that horrifying night of their escape. In one night, of her greatest fears came true. She had killed someone by her own hands. In this case, multiple people. It did not matter that they kidnapped and poisoned her and Tanya. No one deserved to die, even if it was what she really wanted. To kill. Honestly, she did not know entirely if her actions were intentional or unintentional. If she had known that the ship would sink and the pirates would drown, would she still have frozen the boat? Deliberate or not, it was her fault, even if she functioned to protect herself and Tanya. This accident haunted her dreams almost every night. When she woke up in the morning, the queen would feel lethargic and restless. Elsa did her best to block the experience, replacing it with other growing, positive feelings. But now that she was reflecting over everything, she would eventually have to open up and lick her wounds. _Would Tanya ever accept me if she knew what happened? Even if she found out I was a murderer?_ _Tanya had no idea why the pirates, sailors to her knowledge, were even chasing us in the first place._ Elsa knew that the princess probably wondered, though she never pried about it to the queen.

_Tanya would never reciprocate feelings. After all, she does not feel the same way towards me. _There was always a chance that being honest with the princess would ruin their somewhat recent, established friendship. But was that what she wanted to be, _just_ friends?

The queen's hand rummaged inside her bag, and landed on a familiar piece of jewelry. Elsa did not pull her hand out with the object inside, instead she rested it on the necklace. She almost forgot she purchased it, with the wavering intent on giving it to the princess. It was an impulse buy, and the queen was not the impulsive type. But watching Tanya in the town market, Elsa remembered how her face lit up. Or when Tanya offered her a helping hand, when she so gracefully slipped and fell into the cold sea. There was an unexplainable desire of wanting to give something to the princess. Recalling her first memory of the younger girl at her sister's engagement celebration, it was the same desire which prompted Elsa to initiate conversation. Elsa still remembered the details. Tanya had worn a rather plain green dress, her silk hair in a formal style, the thick gloves she still wore, and her eyes… Her captivating blue-green eyes that held an ocean.

The queen quivered in realization. Before she met Tanya, she had never experienced the same precise feeling, or observed someone as intently. She was smitten with the younger girl, since the moment they first met.

_Did Anna feel the same way when she met Prince Hans of the Southern Isles? _Of course, their relationship was an entirely different situation and dynamic. The queen maintained her rising feelings for Tanya, while Anna's quickly faded.

"Here we are!" Tanya's voice interrupted the queen's train of thought. They both were silent for quite some time, though it was not uncomfortable. Not in the least.

They had travelled out of the forest across the plains, and had finally come to a wooded area placed at the base of a tall mountain range.

"I don't see Aldyn anywhere." There was playfulness in Elsa's voice.

"Well, we aren't _there _there. Aldyn is just over and on the other side of these mountains. But I was talking about an entrance through the mountains." The brown haired girl lifted up some ivy that draped down the rocks, and revealed a small entrance way between two boulders.

"Ta-da!" Tanya exclaimed. "I know the entrance looks small, but the cave runs from here to the other side of the mountains. It's not used much by everybody though, it's actually one of the many secret passageways only known to the royal family. While it takes a good few days to go over the mountains, it only takes less than a day to travel this way." She folded her arms across her chest, and had a proud look on her face.

"You didn't have to share a royal family secret with me."

"Well I certainly don't want to cross that range, and more than likely you don't want to either. So voila, secret passage!" She extended both arms in a presenting gesture towards the cave entrance.

Elsa smiled, "I'm honored you would confide in me with this, since I am a queen from a different kingdom. But let's confront the passage tomorrow morning, and settle down here for the day." It was past midday, and Elsa's feet were aching. Plus, she could use something to eat.

"Not a bad idea, a nap actually sounds pretty good right now," Tanya knelt down by a few trees and patted the green grass with both hands. "And if you are fine with it, that's exactly what I'm going to do!" Tanya laid down in the shade, taking off her cloak and using it as a blanket.

"Be my guest, while you do just that I'm going to look around the area a bit," the queen said, glancing back at the dork, who was dozing off already.

Elsa did not want to go too far from the princess, until she noticed a small clearing. There was a large pond, with pine and birch trees of all sizes encircling around the bank. Suddenly, an idea sparked in her head. It would not be too long until they arrived at Aldyn. The blonde clutched the necklace in her bag once more. She did not know how many opportunities remained where she could give the necklace to the princess. Right then and there, Elsa decided she would inform Tanya in how she felt.

She would tell her that very night. Everything was happening so fast, yet it was fantastic.

* * *

><p>True to her word, Anna did not extend her time purchasing necessities in the town. Although she received a few curious looks with Sven at her side, no one approached her about it. She could not point her finger on it, but Anna had an unexplainable sensation of being watched. The princess concluded it had to be paranoia. Every few seconds she privately scanned the area, and left the town within an hour.<p>

Anna held the snowman's twig hand the majority of the way along the path, before taking the occasional rest stop. Sooner or later, her mind slowed along with her heart rate, and became at ease once more.

"Ah finally, look at the open sky Anna!" Olaf exclaimed with pure joy. The dull overcast had burned away, exposing the soft blue behind. "A picnic would be perfect here," Olaf waddle-ran ahead, and spread his arms across the long green grass.

"It would, but we don't have enough food for a picnic," Anna said. "Our amount is only sufficient for about a week before we run out, so we need to make sure to ration the portions. Hopefully before then we'll find Elsa."

Sven put his head under Anna's arm and looked up at her sympathetically.

"Of course we will, I wouldn't doubt it! She's probably missing you just as much." Anna did not quite believe the snowman's comforting words, despite wishing for the same amount of confidence. A happy grin rose on her face, doing her best to not dwell on the worst. It was her sister, and Anna had full surety in her. But it was that tiny whisper in her gut which held the most influence.

The sun was going to set in a few hours, and was descending to the left of the group. There were no clouds in the pale atmosphere above them, except for one lone cloud in the distance ahead. Analyzing its rather odd shape, Anna squinted her eyes and examined it closer. It was not a cloud, but dark smoke.

"Look over there!" Anna pointed out. Sven already seemed to notice it. "Let's check it out. Maybe Elsa's nearby. Or maybe there are people over there who've seen her pass by. Do you think it's worth checking out?"

"We don't have much to lose!" Olaf said. Sven just grunted, in agreement. If Kristoff were here, he would do his impression of Sven which she continuously teased him for. It was all in good humor anyways. In the first few weeks of officially dating, it did not take Anna too long to discover Kristoff could be as big of a dork as she. That was one of several reasons why she wanted to marry him.

In order to distract herself, she initiated conversation with the two, as they trailed along the way.

* * *

><p>Kristoff did not feel well at all. In fact, he harbored nausea for days. He came to a supposition that he was not poisoned at the dinner meeting. Rather, he suspected someone was poisoning him in a more indirect way. His horrible headache caused his knees to go weak and the urge to collapse. Walking into the bathroom to wash up, he observed after coughing, drops of blood splattered in the sink. His throat suddenly tasted uniquely metallic. Something was definitely wrong.<p>

Rather than talk to Gerda, the blond man did not tell anyone. He had no idea what was happening, or who, if anyone, wanted him gone. To his knowledge, it could be a result of something else entirely. To be on the safe side, Kristoff decided to take matters into his own hands, and do what he could to solve the mystery. He cut out certain meals throughout the day, and took rough mental notes on what times the symptoms became strongest. This experiment of his went on for several days, and came to the deduction that nothing he consumed during the main meals was the culprit. Perhaps it might be some snack he ate or something he drank on a regular basis? For all he knew, the poison could be airborne.

Indications were at their worst around nighttime, just after he would dress for bed. The only things he came in contact with were his bed, book, lute, and tea. Refusing the tea for a couple days made it the easiest subject to test.

In no time, his condition significantly improved. To see whether his fear was correct, or if he simply caught a wicked strain of the flu, he resumed drinking tea another two nights. Much to Kristoff's dismay, the outcome was more blood on the bathroom floor.

There was most likely poison in his tea, and someone was consistently putting it in every night.

The next evening, Kristoff snuck into the kitchen and hid inside, keeping a watch on the environment. Strangely, he felt like a boy again playing hide and seek with Sven and the trolls, but this was no game. He saw no unusual business happening with any of the staff. They all seemed like they were just going about their evening routine. Perhaps it was all in his head. _What am I even doing right now? _

Kristoff scratched the top of his unnaturally clean head. None of this made sense. _Maybe I could've had a bad reaction to a certain ingredient. The majority of people are allergic to things anyway._

After hiding behind a heavy curtain for an hour, the kitchen supervisor walked in from his break. He conversed with another cook preparing soup, and tea on the back stove burner. He poured a cup for himself, said another word to the man preparing the meal, and walked away to the counter on the other side of the room. There, he dashed a hint of cream and sugar into the cup. Nothing unusual about it. Until he reached down his coat pocket, and drew a small vile out. Inside contained a light green fluid. He proceeded to add a drop of the liquid into the tea. Unaware to the cook's knowledge, he was oblivious to everything else around him, absorbed in chopping vegetables. Reaching for a small plate on a shelf, he put it under the cup, and hurried out the kitchen.

Kristoff used this chance to sneak away and follow him. Quickly slipping out from behind the curtain with no one aware, he internally said a thanks for his comfortable and quiet moccasins. No one around paid any attention. He peered around the corner. Kristoff saw him talking to none other than Gerda the princess' nanny who helped oversee the castle with Kai. They swapped a few words before the kitchen overseer finally handed over the tea to Gerda. Seeming to have made a joke, Gerda smiled in response. Instead of drinking the beverage, she turned around and went up the stairs. The man went the opposite way, walking back the way he came.

At this point, Kristoff still wanted to follow the supervisor, but knew it was more important that he followed Gerda. The former nanny was not the type to go behind the royal family's back, intentionally anyway. And in the stable, he overheard men's voices, not a woman's. Avoiding any awkward confrontation, Kristoff peaked out to see Gerda turn to her left at the top of the staircase. She was going in the direction of his room.

The mountain man crept up the stairs, and hid behind a statue against the wall. It was big enough to hide his large frame, and she passed him oblivious to his presence on the way out. Once the attendant was a distance ahead, Kristoff made a beeline for his room. Opening the door, the first thing the blond man saw on his desk was the poisoned tea. Instead of drinking it like normal, he opened the window and poured it outside.

Someone was in fact actively trying to get rid of him. And now he had a couple leads.

* * *

><p>"So where are you taking me?"<p>

"You'll see, soon enough," Elsa said with a smile. She could barely force the words out through all the nerves and adrenaline rushing through her body. Luckily Tanya was blindfolded and could not see the queen freaking out. Finally she going to do something special for the princess, and her daydreams hopefully about to become reality.

The two girls arrived at the clearing Elsa discovered earlier that day. The blonde girl went behind Tanya and untied the cloth, lifting it above her head. Once the ash blonde realized what was in front of her, she let out a gasp.

"Surprise," it came out more like a nervous laugh. Naturally she did not sweat because of her powers. But if her body was able to, she would be doing so now. "I wanted to do something fun with you, before we arrive at Aldyn."

Tanya looked all around her in amazement. The whole pond was completely frozen solid. The trees were flocked with snow and icicles, and highly detailed crystals dangled off the branches. The ground was completely covered with white, about two feet tall. A cold rush of air burst through Tanya's hair, and Elsa saw her shiver from the sudden chill.

"It's beautiful. You did this yourself?" Tanya went over to admire the delicate crystals hanging down, before running towards the pond. It was less of a question, and more of a statement.

"Really Elsa, this is beautiful… I honestly don't know what to say. I've never experienced anything like it."

Elsa had no clue what to say either. She was too engrossed in watching the girl. _Come on, get it together. You are always good with your words and knowing what to say. Why can't you say anything?_

"I'm glad you like it." _I'm glad you like it? _Elsa beat herself up mentally. _Couldn't you have said something more romantic or meaningful?_

The queen went over to the princess, who was at the edge of the pond. She took Tanya by the arm, and pulled her towards the frozen pond.

"Do you know how to ice skate?" Elsa asked.

"Um, I've never done it before, but I have watched experts in the past. It's a very beautiful art." She slightly pulled her arm back, and the queen's grip loosed.

"Would you like to learn?"

"I don't know," Tanya looked away. "I mean, I want to. But I don't know if I can with my powers."

"It's okay, I'll teach you." Elsa was already on the frozen rink, and pulled Tanya in, grabbing her hands. In a pinch, the queen created beautiful crystal ice skates for the girl's feet, and took her gloved hand. "…We can take it slow, since this is your first time. Try to use the inside edge of your skates to push off. Make sure not to lean too far forward or back."

Tanya copied Elsa, who glided slowly across the smooth ice. The way Elsa moved, paralleled the way she walked on actual ground. The princess was not as graceful. After halfway around the pond, Tanya flipped out, lost her balance, and fell on her back like a starfish. Luckily, she did not pull Elsa down with her.

She sat up and rubbed her back, annoyed, and squinting one eye from soreness. "It's not as easy as you make it," the ash haired girl commented.

"Well, I have lived my whole life with ice. It would be a surprise to me if I didn't know how to move on it as well. I know this probably feels a bit unnatural for you. If you want we can stop."

"No, I'm alright. I'm somewhat surprised I haven't melted the entire place already." Tanya regained herself, and Elsa helped the girl up, resuming the skating lesson.

Tanya seemed irritated from consistently falling down every few seconds, but after a few times around the rink, it wore off once she figured the motion out.

"Are you ready to try something?" The queen took the princess' hand, and attempted to spin her around.

"Woah, no not really!" But the queen was ahead of her. Tanya lost her footing, not knowing what to do, and fell down forwards while knocking Elsa down with her. To her sheer humiliation, the queen recognized the princess on top of her. Elsa caught her eyes, which shared the identical awkwardness. Instead of the tired eyes she was used to seeing, they sparkled like stars from the light reflected off the ice. The younger girl's cheeks burned madly.

"Oh my… I'm so sorry," Tanya stammered as she attempted to get herself up. Unsuccessfully, her hands and legs slipped again and fell on top of Elsa once more, this time their faces in closer proximity. In seconds, Tanya's hands started glowing, and the whole pond thawed along with the rest of the area around them. The air became humid, and steam evaporated into the air. Now standing soaked in a pool, the water only grew warmer.

"Oh no, I ruined everything!" Tanya was clearly upset and kicking herself.

"You didn't try to ruin anything, it was an accident. However, _I do_ think I'm going to get out of the water!" Elsa was not discouraged by the mishap at all. If anything, she found it cute. It would give her a chance to give her the gift which was contained in her dress skirt pocket. Maybe ice skating was not the brightest activity to choose after all. But the two of them did have fun while it lasted, and Tanya was able to try something new.

"Okay, um I think I'm going to cool off in the water," Tanya replied, her face still red. Ironically, the temperature of the pond was the same as a hot spring. She went back in, grumbling to herself, and almost fully submerging her head.

After finding a substitute towel to dry with and kicking off her boots, Elsa returned to the princess, who was sitting on the edge. The girl's feet waded in the water, and her hands wrung through her hair. Elsa stooped over and took a seat beside her.

"Hey, you don't have to feel embarrassed. Really, at all," Elsa told her. "Trust me, I can't count how many times I've accidently frozen something."

"I can't think how you of all people could do something embarrassing. You always seem to have it together, for the most part." Tanya let out a smirk.

"Hey now, I've had my share. For example while walking up the castle stairs, I may or may not have not tripped over my dress a few times in front of everyone. Everyone does things that embarrass themselves, you just have to learn to laugh at it. Even serious, queens like me."

"You're not always stoic, I think you just like people to think that."

"Well done, you have me figured out. My entire cover has been blown away. Now people of Arendelle won't take me seriously as queen."

Tanya laughed, "Hey it's a good thing! You wouldn't be as interesting if you were always serious."

"Not as interesting? And what if I happen to like being serious all the time?" Elsa crossed her arms.

"I wouldn't believe it. You certainly play a good cover, but it's refreshing to see you have a somewhat existent sense of humor. Being with you is definitely a change from all the depressing, deadpan people who work in Aldyn's castle. My father especially," she hesitated, after processing what she said. "I'm sorry, I shared too much."

They locked eyes, and the princess had her mouth slightly open. She was engulfed by Elsa's own topaz blue eyes.

Maybe now it was time to give Tanya her gift. She had no idea when was the right time, but suddenly now seemed perfect. She was ready, at least she thought.

"Tanya, I wanted to give you something for a while."

Her head twitched, as if she woke up from a trance, "Huh?"

"While we were still in the village walking around the flea market, I saw this," Elsa revealed the red necklace, "and got it for you. It seemed fitting for you."

Once the brunette girl saw the necklace, she gasped and went still. This all made the queen nervous. It was evidently a very expensive gift, and Tanya knew very well that a friend would not go out of their way to give a valuable necklace.

"Elsa, I can't."

It was if the entire world had stopped in place.

"Is this how you feel about me?"

_Oh no what do I say? _She was terrified to admit her feelings, now that there was a giant possibility of rejection. Now that she put it out there, she had to. She owed Tanya that much, the honest truth. _I better not mess this up now._

"Yes," Elsa gulped with a heavy throat, "very much so actually."

Keeping her gaze on Elsa's, she took the necklace out of her hands and clasped it around her neck. Her eyes became sad. "I'll accept your gift Elsa," she placed her hand on the queen's knee. "But you're the queen of Arendelle and I'm just... I… we can't," her hand flinched and she pulled it back.

A new confidence overtook Elsa. "After we speak to the king and queen of Aldyn, come back to Arendelle with me," she realized that probably came off too forced. "I mean I would be honored if you accompanied me back to Arendelle. Please."

"I wish I could."

"You can. I can talk to your parents and explain everything. We both can."

"No, you need to think of your people," Tanya's eyes became watery. "I can't get in the way of Arendelle's…" She stopped.

"Arendelle's line?"

The princess looked up at the ice queen, startled, as if the queen had just read her very mind.

"Because you won't." _Elsa knew ultimately, Anna and Kristoff were going to be the ones to continue Arendelle's throne. _Elsa knew that deep down, for a long time.

The blonde knew that by asking the Aldyn princess to come back to Arendelle with her, she was potentially asking for her hand. Tanya knew that as well, based on what she said next.

"It's such a shock, I don't know what to think," Tanya replied. "You're asking to court me. That's huge Elsa, it could put your monarchy in jeopardy." Aside from the excused, Tanya was not clearly rejecting her either.

"I'm very mindful of that."

"So why…" But it just came out more as a whisper, because she realized that Elsa was leaning her head closer to hers.

The blonde saw Tanya start to close her eyes and part her lips. But when their lips were just centimeters apart, Tanya jolted her head back.

"Elsa I can't. I won't get in the way of your responsibility and your kingdom. It would be wise if you considered going back to Arendelle right now, and letting me go by myself," she stood up, making Elsa feel small.

"I'm going to at least accompany you the rest of the way to Aldyn."

"Why? _Why_ do you need to?" Tanya snapped. "When I came to Arendelle, I didn't have responsibilities to leave behind. But you left Arendelle just like that, by yourself, to follow me," with one hand on her hip, she snapped her fingers with the other. "You've barely sent any word back to your castle, to even let them know you're okay. It's been almost two weeks! Think of how your sister, and everyone you've left behind must feel."

She had hit Elsa's sore spot, and the queen felt her hands freezing up. But Tanya was right. The queen had left the throne and much bigger responsibilities behind than Tanya. Leaving by herself without guards or any escorts maybe was not the smartest idea after all. She had not anticipated their journey to be this long, but with their initial capture, it threw her off schedule. However she was firm on making sure Tanya arrived to Aldyn safely, since there was no other escort around to accompany her.

"No, I didn't plan on you running away in the first place. On top of that, we were so fortunate to be captured and drugged by pirates, with the intent on selling us as slaves."

"Is that really what happened, before you rescued me?"

Elsa forgot the princess had no relocation of the events which took place on the pirate ship, or the details of precisely how Elsa saved them. The queen knew what question was coming next.

"How did we escape?"

There was the question Elsa was trying to avoid. But she knew at this point, lying to Tanya was not worth it. "I froze the prison and the pirates guarding us, while carrying you off at the same time. We managed to jump off the pirate ship at sea, onto a boat I made. The ice spread from our cell to the rest of the deck. The ship… froze over and tipped on its side."

"Well. That explains why those men back at the town were chasing us."

"Aren't you upset?"

"Upset that you managed to sink a whole ship with a crew on board? They drugged us and were going to try to sell us Els'. It was a consequence of their actions. There's not much else that could've been done. If I were in your position, I would have done all I could to protect you and escape, in the way I know how; which by the way would have played out much worse scenario."

"Don't believe that for a second. Your powers don't want to destroy, the curse does."

"But what if they do? What if it's not just the curse?"

"I don't believe that at all. Not because you don't have the capacity to, but because you don't have a desire for destruction."

"Elsa. Please don't follow me to Aldyn. You have to go back to Arendelle and be queen. You don't know what you're getting into."

"I'm not going to, and deep down I doubt that's what you want either." Elsa stood and tried to reach for Tanya's hand, but the princess was faster. She ran a distance away from the queen, and spun around to face her. Elsa held one of the girl's gloves in her hand, with a sad, confused expression.

"Don't follow me!" At the moment Tanya yelled and moved her remaining gloved hand, flames burst from the princess, setting the ground ablaze. Between the two of them, a tall wall of fire stood aggressively. As Tanya turned and ran away towards the secret passage, Elsa saw the girl's eyes flash through the flames. She could make out a small voice on the other side, "I couldn't bear you getting hurt."

Elsa put out the inferno by blasting ice, making a forward motion with both arms. After a couple minutes, she succeeded in downing the barrier. But by then it was too late, and Tanya was nowhere in sight. She had really screwed up.


	15. Chapter 15 - Love and Loss

"Elsa!"

It was not the voice she wanted to hear in that moment, but it was distinctly familiar. However, she was too confused to process the person calling her name from behind. The ice queen's heart ached and was lightheaded. If her ice abilities held possession capabilities, Elsa would not be surprised, because the world around her froze. Her eyes swelling up with tears, she could only try to fight it and hold it in. She physically felt sick, like she was about to throw up. Elsa went down on her knees, using the back of her hand to wipe a huge tear about to fall.

Seeing strawberry red braids fall on her shoulders, she recognized the familiar girl all too well; her sister. Anna stooped down and attacked her with a desperate hug from behind.

"Anna." Reciprocating the hug, Elsa clung to Anna's arms crossed around her own chest, if not tighter.

"What are you doing here Anna?" It was an honest question, and she genuinely wanted to know. Still in shock, Elsa bathed in the peaceful comfort Anna brought. That quiet was short-lived, as her sister had to explode with questions.

"What are you doing here? What are you doing by yourself? You don't know how far I've come to find you! Not only me, but Sven and Olaf as well. Did you find Tanya? What even happened to you?" It was too many words for the blonde to process, but she answered Anna with the first one that stuck out.

"I ended up escorting Princess Tanya back to Aldyn. Well, I was." The words came out weakly, and like she was about to cry.

Releasing the queen from her embrace, the princess moved around so she could face her sister. Anna cupped one of Elsa's cheeks, and rested the other hand on her opposite shoulder. "That's not your job to worry about Elsa! I thought you were bringing her back instead? And what do you mean by, 'you were'?"

"She ran away, _again_. Right before you got here actually,"

"What in blazes happened anyway? Literally, blazes. I could see smoke from miles away!"

"That was her."

"What? Are you okay?"

Elsa avoided the question. Thinking or talking about herself was the last thing she wanted to do. "Her parents sent her to me so I might train her… Strengthen her powers… I really don't know what they were thinking. But apparently they never told her the real reason she was in Arendelle, or that their planned departure. So she wanted to confront her parents about it."

"Don't you think she could have just written a letter, instead of irrationally disappearing like that?"

The way in which Anna said that made Elsa sweat, almost. It was like her younger sister to be passive aggressive at times, and her comment certainly came out that way. "It would have been a much more reasonable decision, however that's not what happened. I know it seems like I did the same thing when I left Arendelle. I thought I could be much efficient without Arendelle's guards slowing me down, and my powers could protect me better than most swords. Plus, I thought it would be the less threatening approach to deal with the situation. But, something unexpected happened. We were kidnapped by slave traders. Pirates. Mercenaries for hire. Well whatever their occupation was, we only just managed to escape since they drugged us."

"What?" Anna said angrily. "The nerve of them! I can't, and will never understand why people like that even exist," anger turned to contemplation. "I'm just glad you're okay. This whole time, I knew you were. After all, you are my sister. Now I understand why you weren't able to send a message right away. But… it was still so difficult to believe you were alive, without hearing a single word. There were times where I was almost convinced you were gone."

"I'm sorry, Anna. For everything. Getting kidnapped never part of the plan, but it still happened, and because of it, you were so worried. I'm just thankful you still had faith in me."

_Even when I didn't have faith in myself. _

Elsa looked around Anna. She was the only person, human person, near her. "But you left Arendelle on this trek, without guards or even a messenger?"

"I have Sven and Olaf with me, and the little ice bird your magic created guided us here."

"Why would you do that Anna? If I had actually died, that would make you the last heir to the throne! Who's watching Arendelle right now?"

"Well, Kristoff's back there, and I know that reliable people like Kai and Gerda are…" The redhead was looking down and counting with her fingers, but was cut off.

"Kristoff cannot act as a substitute for you. While Kai and Gerda are responsible, they don't hold the same authority the royal family has, unless granted. While I admit my decision to leave alone was rash, I did have initially… some reasoning behind it. You had no plan when leaving Arendelle behind, with only Sven and Olaf. Do you realize what impression that could have put on Kristoff? On the rest of the castle?

"Well I didn't think you would be this far away from home! Every day that you were missing killed me Elsa! You're my only family I have left. How do you think I was going to act?" She crossed her arms defensively. "And what is it with you trying to suck up to people anyway? Who cares what they think?"

"I care because I'm the queen!"

"Then act like it!"

There was no changing decisions made in the past, and Elsa knew their spontaneous argument was futile. It would only make the present worse. She resented herself for scolding Anna, especially knowing that the princess' heart was in the right place. The queen knew she could not go back in time to change her sister's actions, nor could she go back and prevent her and Tanya getting kidnapped. She had to accept the present state they were in now, and they needed to go after Tanya. On the way, they could write a letter to Arendelle castle, and send it back with the ice bird. Every moment they spent away from home, the kingdom would become increasingly vulnerable.

But currently in front of her was a worried redheaded girl. Not a princess of Arendelle, but a worried sister. Anna traversed such a large distance because of her love and concern for the queen. The princess was probably exhausted like her. And all Elsa had done in return was lash out at her. In that way, she and her younger sister were similar. They were quick, sometimes too quick, to argue with one another over pointless matters. It was a pattern they held to since childhood, and Elsa felt even more elementary. Within the last year of reconciling with Anna, Elsa purposefully went out of her way to change the dynamic. But sometimes, the heat of the moment would simply be too great for the two siblings.

It had been so long since she had seen her sister. Yet not so long where they looked like they aged. But something was different with Anna. She could feel the sadness in the younger girl's eyes. Elsa stepped into Anna's shoes. Her sister was probably very lonely, and even mourning over her, with the thought her older sister might be dead. If Elsa were in Anna's place, she would have done the same thing, as rash as it was.

"I'm sorry… I just, don't know what I would do without you," tears trickled down her sun-kissed cheeks and covered her face.

Elsa brought in her younger sister for a hug, engulfing her, and started tearing up again. "I'm so sorry Anna. I did not plan for any of this to happen, or for you to suffer this way."

Anna let every emotion out in Elsa's arms. Olaf and Sven stood by a few feet off, giving the two sisters space, observing the interaction.

"We're together again Anna, it's going to be okay," Elsa laughed at the scene. "Look at us now, this is ridiculous. Why were we even arguing in the first place?"

Anna sniffled, "It is pretty silly," and then she chuckled to herself. "Look at us right now. I shouldn't be crying, now that I know you're alive!" Anna wiped her face with her sleeve one last time. She looked around and then back at Elsa. "Why?"

"Um, why what?"

"Why did Tanya run off?"

"There was miscommunication between us, and the king and queen of Aldyn. She refused to come back to Arendelle, and it was important enough that I didn't try to force her. So I went along with her, if she was going to just keep running away anyway."

"Yeah I know that, but why did she run away this time?

Elsa hesitated. She had no idea what to tell her younger sister. _I can't just tell her it was because I basically almost kissed her. Anna has no idea of my feelings for Tanya, or that I may or may not prefer women in general. But I can't lie to my sister, not now, not again. _

"You want to know the truth Anna?"

Before Anna could answer, Elsa continued. "I love Tanya."

Anna paused, taking in those words her sister spoke. "And does she know that?" Anna spoke softly. It was not the response Elsa was expecting. But then again, she did not know what response she expected to receive from her sister.

"She does, now."

"And that's why she went off alone?"

"I don't know… I don't know what to think!" Just the thought made Elsa frustrated at herself. "She told me she couldn't." Her eyes were puffy and slightly watery now.

"So there was no definitive yes or no? It sounds like Tanya likely doesn't know what to feel herself. Is that why you never were interested in any potential suitors? Because they weren't women?"

"I have no idea." Elsa was fairly positive she was interested in only women. But that possibility could wait until later. Even if she did, the only girl she had cared for in a romantic way was the Aldyn princess. "All I know is that I love her."

Anna placed her hands on Elsa's arms. "No matter what you do or who you love, you'll always be my sister, and that will never change. I hope you know that."

Elsa nodded.

"It doesn't matter to me who you love, because whoever you choose I'm sure I will love them too. I know it's not the most popular idea in the kingdom, for their queen to take on a female suitor. But I will always be here to support you. Maybe we can work around it."

Elsa's heart was lifted by Anna's words, and was overcome by a wave of relief.

But it did not solve the current dilemma they were in. They did not exactly have all the time in the world to be absent from Arendelle. Their responsibility lay with their kingdom. Yet, Elsa could not just leave the princess of Aldyn behind. Not in good conscience anyway. The queen also made a promise to Tanya's parents to look out for the princess, and she was determined to go through with her vow. But her sister Anna, and friends Olaf and Sven were here, standing in front of her. She had a responsibility to family and friends, as well as the people she cared about.

All the weight of her obligations was overwhelming. Yet Elsa needed to make another decision.

The ice queen called out to her ice bird with a quick whistle. From the clouds overhead, it soared down onto a tree branch next to her. With a flick of her fingers, a small, thin, slab of ice appeared. With her fingertip, she began to magically carve delicately into the smooth surface, forming words. It read:

_To Castle Arendelle,_

_You have no need to be worried, I am alive and well. Princess Anna, along with the company who accompanied her, made it safely here. I am currently not in a place to be writing a proper letter, but will do so when I arrive at the nearest town. Fortunately, I have managed to find Tanya, Princess of Aldyn, and currently traversing mountains west of the Kingdom of Aldyn. We will be traveling by foot, so our arrival may extend a few days, along with the next letter. The princesses and I need no reinforcements nor supplies, as we are well equipped and stocked. _

_Please wait for the next letter to arrive, and for my word on how the castle should rightly act. _

_Elsa, Queen of Arendelle_

Elsa signed off with her personal signature, while ice flakes flew off the slab.

"That should do," the queen said satisfied, as she stretched her fingers. She had no fear of the ice slab melting, since it could not without her command. Handing the letter to the bird she said, "Take this letter to Arendelle Castle, and make sure that Kai, Gerda, and Kristoff see it."

Responding with a light chirp, which sounded almost other worldly, its small claws grasped onto the letter. To Anna's surprise, the bird's claws appeared to melt and merge into the letter. It took off, high into the sky, out of seeing-eye range.

"We should be good for now, as brief as that letter may be."

"Why did you say Tanya was still with us though?" Anna asked. "Isn't that risky to lie about something like that? We don't know where she is."

"But I know that she and I share the same destination. If we don't find her on the way, we will look for her in Aldyn. It would be risky to announce she was missing, especially when we are currently not back home. We don't want to risk conjuring up rumors. Right now it's our priority to inform Kai and Gerda that we are well, and for Arendelle to think we are still present; just preoccupied. I'm sure Kai has had to create many explanations to the public by now, to excuse our absence. "

"Probably so, he's pretty capable. And you're the queen, so of course don't doubt your judgment."

Elsa could tell right away Anna was being sarcastic.

"So how are we going to find Tanya? It's almost dusk."

"Maybe we can just follow the charred trail Tanya left?" Elsa pointed to the ground. Sure enough she was correct, and Anna had overlooked the downright obvious detail. She must have been extremely upset and distressed to do that.

If Tanya was there right in front of her, the queen would be apologizing profusely. She would do anything to mend her relationship with the ash haired princess. But what if Tanya refused to forgive her? Did Tanya share the same mutual feelings, or was their relationship agape? And then there was the possibility Tanya just liked the attention, and not her. The queen knew she could not force Tanya to share the same romantic feelings against their will, but deep down she secretly wished there was a way.

The party followed the trail up the mountain. With the sun already down, it was rapidly becoming difficult to see. More than twice, she had to catch Anna's hand to prevent her from slipping. Sven was there to support her whenever she did. Their feet were starting to give, and every part of her was exhausted. Yet Elsa stayed firm in her choice to keep going.

Finally after some time, they came to a descent, into the mountain canyon. They walked alongside the mountain, until the thick bushes and boulders turned into a small path. Elsa recognized their surroundings and realized the path was taking them to the secret passageway shown to her earlier. A big part of her still felt like she was trespassing into a royal family secret that was off limits. But she did not plan on using it against Aldyn. Only with the sole purpose to find the girl she loved.

_The girl she loved… _

It was an idea Elsa was still growing accustomed to, even though she accepted it.

The opening to the cave was pitch black. Olaf would have no problem, whereas Sven would have to squeeze through. Elsa and Anna looked at each other, as the trail led them to mossy opening.

"I guess it's telling us to follow through here," Anna said nervously.

"Are you alright with it?"

"Of course I am," Anna attempted to puff out her chest toughly, though it looked goofy. Elsa knew however that Anna was one of the bravest people she had ever known. "But how are we to see inside?"

Elsa noticed a little waft of smoke still rising from the earth beneath her. Tanya was here recently. The queen knelt down and picked up a still smoking branch. Careful to not blow it out, she managed to save and create a small flame. "It's kind of pathetic for a torch, but it will suffice. We should pick up and light a few more branches. Except you, Olaf."

"Aw, darn." The snowman said with a disappointed face. "I guess it's alright, just looking at it is nice too!"

Sven grunted urging the group to keep moving.

"I'll go first," Elsa volunteered, "and you next Anna." That way when Sven comes through, we can both help him from the inside."

It was an awkward entrance, especially while holding a torch, but Elsa had managed to go through easily. She then caught her sister, who came right behind her. Once they successfully brought Sven's head and front legs through, the other half came easily. Once everyone was inside, they carefully made their way down and under.

The beginning of the tunnel started off narrow, with roots everywhere. But the farther down they went, the more spacious the tunnel became. The roots disappeared, and the tunnel became a fully formed cave. The cave turned into an underground cavern, a whole other world they would have been totally oblivious to, if they had stayed above ground.

Huge stalactites hung from the ceiling, with many stalagmites below them. The walls of the cavern were smooth from being shaped by water for thousands of years. Hanging on the wall to the side of her, Elsa saw an unlit lantern, probably used by the people passing through before them. With the last of the dying ember on the branch which she carried, she lit the abandoned lantern. There was a spark, and Elsa realized that there was a line connected to it. The spark travelled and lit other lanterns along the wall of the cavern. Anna gasped. It wasn't just a path they were walking along, it was an edge which went down to unknown depths. Olaf kicked a pebble over the edge out of curiosity. There was no sound of the stone hitting the bottom.

"Let's be very careful…" Elsa held her arms out in a protective manner, mostly looking at Sven, who was the largest.

The reindeer only replied with a gulp, his eyes bulging and not averting his gaze from the abyss.

The further they followed the ignited path, Elsa sensed they were arriving to a large, room just ahead. No, it was not just large, it was gigantic. In the center was a giant cave pillar, as if it held up the ceiling, formed by stalactites and stalagmites merging together. Around the throne of a pillar, were smaller columns coming up from the darkness. The path grew much wider for the group to spread out. The queen hardly noticed the humidity in the place, due to being stricken with wonder.

"It's amazing!" Anna said, her mouth smiling wide open in awe. Elsa could see the whites of her teeth.

The whole trail of fire circled the whole room, giving off a fiery glow. On the other side across from her, the main tunnel continued. There were other small tunnels, but not lit, and only appeared to go deeper down.

"How are we supposed to get across to where the tunnel continues?" The snowman pointed out.

Elsa realized, to her dismay, Olaf was correct. One way to scale across, was to jump from pillar to pillar, and by their luck, not fall down. She wondered if that's how Tanya and the Aldyn royal family usually made it across. But another idea crossed her mind. The blonde did not need tools or a guide to go around. She had a natural advantage.

"Watch this," Elsa said confidently. With an icy, graceful movement from her hand, a solid bridge formed from both ends of the room. She used the pillars to further support the bridge, ensuring it wouldn't snap and break under them. "And now we can cross," the queen bowed to the group, presenting the ice bridge with a circular hand gesture. For some reason, she had major déjà vu recalling events earlier that day.

Sven was the last one to hesitantly step onto the slippery ice bridge. Elsa, Anna, and Olaf were used to walking on ice. But the task was much more difficult for the reindeer, and four hoofs.

"Don't worry, I've got you Sven," Anna huffed as she planted her feet and supported him at his side. "Elsa, Olaf, direct his other side."

The reindeer was a bunch of nerves. Never before had Elsa seen him shaking like this. Sven was panting frantically. If Kristoff were here, he would know how to calm his friend down.

"It's okay, just take a deep breath," the princess tried saying assuring. Slowly his breathing grew slower, as they moved half way across the bridge. "That's it, we're almost half way there."

"Just don't look down the scary pit of darkness. You're doing great!" Olaf said with an open grin, unintentionally not bettering the mood.

"Olaf, don't tell him that! It's okay Sven, just imagine we're walking across a grassy field. And there's no dark pit at all. Why, there's even a basketful of giant carrots on the other side, just for you," Anna patted his back.

Just as they were almost across and Sven was now totally relaxed at the thought of carrots, Elsa heard a loud crack.

_The bridge!? No… _

It came from around them. There was a great trembling and a new sound grew louder and closer. It must have been an earthquake, by the feel of it. Everyone froze in fear, but just for a second before the reindeer snapped out of his trance, and sprinted for solid ground. Boulders fell down from the ceiling, and impacted the ice bridge from behind them.

"Move, now!" Elsa yelled, physically pushing them forward. If there was more time to act, she would have used her powers to save them. But they were only a few feet from the other side. The bridge snapped in half and started shattering from the center. Sven made a giant leap, with Olaf on his back, and was the first to the other side. Anna took a couple steps before jumping, and grabbing on to Sven who caught her. Elsa realized the bridge was tipping, and the edge to where her sister was, was not a close enough distance. But she had to try to make it. Jumping and taking that chance, Elsa used her ice magic to propel farther forward. It seemed to do the trick, making her jump farther than usual, but she was still not going to make it across. As she fell down, she successfully grabbed ahold of an edge, just right beneath the rest of the group. With as much strength as she could muster, the queen did her best to pull herself up. There was nowhere else to set her feet. She wished she had trained to gain more upper body strength.

"Elsa, take my hand!" The queen, holding on for dear life, looked up at her sister offering her arm. "Sven, Olaf, make sure I don't fall!" The freckled girl ordered.

The duo grabbed onto her dress securely.

She had to act fast. Elsa, from the little support she could muster, hoisted herself up to grab her sister's hand. Just barely, she caught onto Anna, was raised up, and collapsed face down on the ground, panting.

Sitting herself up, she noticed a few scratches here and there and some potentially large bruises, but nothing was broken.

"Are you okay?" Anna reached out her hand and placed it on Elsa's shoulder.

"Yeah, I am," the queen looked down the dark, endless crevice. "You saved me, thank you."

"Oh there's no need to thank me Elsa, that's what sisters are for. Plus I owed it to you anyway for saving my life, when you thawed my heart."

"But I was the one who sent an ice blast through your heart in the first place."

"That's beside the point. You were the one, the only one who could fix it. I'm just glad I was able to save your life as well."

"So, where do we go from here?" Interrupted Olaf.

Anna replied, "Well, we just keep following the lit path I guess," but as she looked around, she realized the last few lanterns ended where they were. The lantern at the end of the line ended, going up a tunnel. It was highly probable they were supposed to go that way.

As much as Elsa was done with surprises, a loud screech came from the deep, which turned into several screeches. Heard a faint fluttering around them, something flew up from the ground, and zoomed past Anna.

"Duck!"

Everyone covered their heads and faces. Even Olaf tried to cover his eyes, though his twig hands did not really cover his eyes. A dark cloud of bats swarmed the air, making high pitched chirping noises. They ignored the four of them, like the first bat leading the way, flew past them. The fall of the ice bridge must have disturbed the bats from their slumber. Upset and frightened, they sought to escape the danger, and find a new temporary home. The colony followed a tunnel behind the intruders, the one Elsa had eyed, which she assumed would lead to the outside sky.

"Let's follow the colony," Elsa said as she got up and started to track their sound. The others followed after her hurriedly.

"Wait why are we following them?" Anna asked in confusion, though obeying.

"Because they will be our guide out."

Very soon, Elsa would find she was correct. When they finally inhaled the crisp fresh air outside, they could see the sun rise between the trees, over the valley. Down below stood a kingdom, with a tall brick wall, and a castle in the center surrounded by a sea of buildings. From that view and without anything to magnify it, it was difficult to make out any more details of the architecture.

Elsa was just a little closer in reuniting with Tanya. And then what would she do? Apologize, and ask for the princess' forgiveness? Explain to the king and queen why their daughter had run off?

The queen would figure out the details later. All she knew, watching the pinks, reds, and oranges of the sunrise, was that she needed to be by her side.

* * *

><p>Just a little closer, and she would be back home.<p>

Tanya was able to remember the way through the underground tunnels, even though it was only the second time she traveled through them. The first time was on her way to Arendelle.

She planned it all out in her head. Naturally she would need one, as her parents would be surprised by her spontaneous homecoming. Notifying one of the guards who worked inside the castle was the better option, not one of the ones posted outside, or at the front gate. Rather, she enter from the back wall to avoid detection by any citizens. Avoiding as much attention to herself as possible, was probably the best option. After informing the guard, preferably the captain, of her return, she would speak with her mother first. At least she would be more understanding and willing to talk than her father. Even though it was obvious her parents did not want her by, she needed answers why. She craved the truth, and they at least owed her an explanation.

Avoiding the main roads next to the city, the princess travelled through the narrow alleyways. It reminded her of back at the port town, when she and Elsa fled from the pirates. She did not want to think about anything remotely relating to the blonde queen. Just the thought riled her up. It was easier to distract herself by recounting memories of her childhood.

If she was honest, her earliest memories of her parents were hazy. Even as a young child, they were not around not around often. It was the rather plump nursemaid, who raised her and Anton. But even she was not the best at parenting per se. There was no parental relationship, or connection generally speaking, between the nanny and the two children. However, she and her older brother Anton were close and shared everything together. Oftentimes they would read or draw pictures. In the castle courtyard, they would go and play games in the garden. Or they would spy on the castle workers, which to them was all very exciting. But when she turned ten years old and Anton turned twelve, their relationship took a turn. It did not happen abruptly, but gradually. Anton started to forget about her, as he focused on his training as future king and heir to the throne. He was deeply interested in Aldyn's history, and political affairs. She would reach out several times, but he never seemed to have time. Long, deep conversations turned into short sentences or just single words. Her brother began looking at her like she was an annoyance, which she quickly detected. Withdrawing all attempts at reach out, she retreated to herself, yet still holding on to the memories of the childhood they enjoyed together. He was the only friend she actually had, and now that was lost. Going into her teenage years, she remained to herself most days. Of course, there were the interactions between the castle workers. But there would be a gap of several years until her next meaningful conversation.

Before her transition into womanhood, Tanya was keenly aware that she did not fit in. Although she looked the part and talked the talk, she felt trapped in a mold which was forced upon her, since the day she took her first breath.

Remembering her first ball, she was mandatory to wear a traditional Aldynic dress. Dresses were alright for the most part. But Tanya also liked the comfort of wearing pants and shirts, and was confused when her nanny said she should stop wearing those things. Watching the people dance was the most entertaining part of these events, as they moved so confidently to the music of their heritage. But Tanya was more interested watching the women than the men. They seemed magical and flawless, the way their hair and dresses swayed. Simply the notion of their male partners to so much as touch them seemed preposterous. None of this made sense. Not until her teenage years.

Her parents gave her an official talk, which she would be married off to a prince or duke as an arrangement when old enough. Secretly the idea made her feel sick. She did not understand why they had to force everything upon her, and decide to give her away to some man who would do the same.

After turning sixteen, her world changed. She found herself itching to get away from the castle more often. Early one morning, she decided to scale the garden wall, thanks to a vine and some bricks sticking out. That was the start of her many adventures into the city. She was never out for more than a couple hours, and no one would ever miss her, or notice her absence. Most times she would end up people watching in the market place, purchase a piece or two of fruit, and eat it at the usual bench before heading back. Tanya never went out more than twice a week. This simple routine act helped her keep sane while dealing with the pressures imposed on her in the castle. A few months later, she would regularly go near the outskirts of the city near the western wall. There was a secluded meadow there protected by trees and a creek. That was not her only discovery. There was a girl her own age who Tanya saw there consistently. At first she stayed hidden and gave some distance, watching the girl so peaceful and serene. Like dryad or nymph.

One particular day, the girl noticed the princess watching, and smiled. Tanya's surprise presence did not shock her, and the mysterious girl walked towards her. Tanya did not dare move, when being within said she needed to stay camouflaged. But… she was tired of being alone. Revealing and introducing herself as a commoner, they ended up talking and became friends that day. From that point on whenever Tanya left the castle, she would go see the girl, rather than go to the marketplace. And every time, the girl kept her word and would be waiting for Tanya. Following many years of solitude, the ash haired princess finally had someone to talk to.

For the next year which passed, Tanya fell head over heels in love. These were feelings she was not able to describe before when she was a young girl, but now she finally understood, and everything made sense. Now certain, she did not view men romantically, but instead favored women. It was this love which kept her castle days bearable, thanks to thinking about her secret friend constantly. Tanya did not want to be married off to some duke, or prince on his high horse. She wanted to be with the girl she cared for. But Tanya was too afraid to tell her how she felt, let alone her parents, and she would never have that chance.

It was until one day, her friend did not show. Tanya pretended not think anything of it. But when a few weeks flew by and she still did not show, the princess became worried. She kept waiting in the meadow for several months more, until she realized the one she loved was not ever going to come. So, with a broken heart, she gave up. Too grief-stricken to leave the castle anymore, the princess stayed put and wore a happy mask around her home. It would not be for another year, until the next time Tanya mustered the energy to venture outside the castle walls.

Instead of going to her secluded meadow, she went to the crowded marketplace to purchase an exotic, red pomegranate. As she sat down and scooped a bite out of the fruit with a spoon she carried, she laid eyes on her friend. The girl she loved was laughing in the arms of a bearded muscular looking man. Reflecting the first time they met, they locked eyes. The girl stopped laughing and froze in shock, staring at the princess. Swiftly turning around, she grabbed her lover's hand, and led them away. From then on, Tanya never forgot that moment, when the bite from the fruit she clutched in her hand tasted sickly and rotten. In disgust, she gave it away to a beggar while slowly pacing back to the castle.

From that point on, Tanya would never allow herself to get close to anyone. But meeting Elsa changed turned her world upside down. Though the beautiful blonde was the last person the Aldyn princess wanted to think about, her imagination could not help herself. When she first laid eyes on Arendelle's queen, her heart skipped a beat before a fear based in anger kicked in. She could not believe it when the queen actually approached her during the ball, sitting right beside her. Trying to talk to her. There was something charismatic about Elsa which attracted her. Out of an automatic response based in habit, Tanya was snarky and rude which she immediately regretted. But the topaz blue eyed woman was not phased.

She was entirely taken aback when her parents left her behind in Arendelle, or that she would feel so strongly for the queen. Not only was she astounded by the queen's beauty, but it exceeded all rumors the princess overheard. Her thick blonde hair flowed as a loose braid, and glittered like starlight. Elsa's skin was as luminous as the moon, and her eyes were an electrifying blue. And she had a shining personality to match. Queen Elsa, like herself, held great powers. Not the same, but similar in nature. She was one of the most, if not _the_ most, incredible person Tanya had ever encountered.

When Elsa had confessed her love to her, all her dreams became reality. But Tanya knew it just could not be, as much as she wanted it to be. So if they did care for each other, then what would happen? Would they go back to their daily lives, or would they have to hide? At least with Aldyn culture, she knew if she took Elsa for a partner, it would be severely looked down upon. She had no clue how Arendelle would respond, or even if either kingdoms would find out. All she knew was that she would not hurt Elsa any further. She already dealt enough damage. And she would not have her heart broken again. This was why she ran off, away from Elsa.

But… was it already torn in two?

She arrived at the western castle entrance.

Now she could finally talk to the king and queen, and set things straight.

* * *

><p>Kristoff paid a close eye to every miniscule detail or interaction. He did not consider himself paranoid, just careful and suspicious. He would purposefully go out of his way to walk by the kitchen at irregular times. More than once, he caught the kitchen supervisor, the head chef, poison both his food and tea. Kristoff's meal would be passed to a lower chef, and then to Gerda, and then placed in his room. After a few days of observing this process, he concluded Gerda was not in on the scheme. <em>But where was the head chef getting the poison? <em>To avoid starving, Kristoff would either sneak a loaf of bread or two with cheese and meat, or go hunting and cook his caught game in the woods. That way, he could regularly monitor his food and health.

Following the habits of the kitchen staff, the chefs would go out into the market early morning to purchase the produce. Kristoff decided to follow the head chef during his market errands. He kept out of sight, where the city was less active, and stalked him out into the courtyard. Disguising himself in different clothes and a makeshift wig, he kept a healthy distance behind. He felt like a creep, but it was for a good cause. Between the two men were a couple carriages and horses caravanning through in a line, which sufficed as a good temporary cover. In the marketplace away from the stands, he patiently waited and peered around brick building corners, which led to alleyways.

There was nothing out of the ordinary, and noted no strange purchases or trades. The head cook seemed to have a routine, going around to each stand, knowing the exact amount of food he needed from each place. Yet, none of this discouraged Kristoff. The blond man knew he needed to be getting the poison from somewhere.

The supervisor turned around and made a beeline for the castle with his produce. The ice harvester was confused. He witnessed no odd activities, and the cook never went into any apothecary. Kristoff would still follow him around, for the rest of the day need be. He would not give up until he found an answer. It was not too soon after returning to the courtyard again, when Kristoff watched the head chef hurry to one of the walls. Casually whistling next to a stand selling vegetables from Corona, Kristoff watched him pull a brick out of the stone wall. There was something small which he discreetly took, and stuffed in his coat pocket. Carefully putting back the brick in its exact previous position, he pretended like nothing had happened and strolled into the castle.

_That's where he's probably getting it. _

This still didn't answer where the poison's source was, or who was behind the scheme. But it was another step in the right direction. Kristoff's new focus would be paying close attention to the wall, and note anyone who came by. No matter how long it took, he would figure everything out. For himself, for his friends, and even for Anna's safety.


	16. Chapter 16 - Betrayal

"What's the meaning of this!?"

Tanya tried thrashing around to loosen the guard's tight grip on her wrists tight. It was no use. Though she could easily take them out in only a second, she refused to use her powers to physically hurt them. Her powers had created enough turmoil out of her reckless anger. The result would be a bunch of wounded soldiers sprawled around the throne room, and she would officially be considered a traitor to Aldyn. It did not disregard the fact that Tanya was furious, but she had to accept reality of the situation, in order to collect answers. Even if she chose to use her powers, there was no telling if she could contain the rampage inside of her. It burned wild through her chest, and she started to sweat. The sensation was similarly related to heartburn, but much severer by leagues and bounds. Her temperature rose exponentially, both physically and emotionally.

Keeping a stoic presence in front of her, was none other than her brother Prince Anton. Sitting on the royal throne where their father should be, he held up his right hand.

"That's enough," he ordered the guards in a stern voice, sounding much unlike himself. "Release her."

Immediately, the guards let go and backed off. Two soldiers blocked the entrance, crossing their spears in an "X," while the rest swarmed the room.

Tanya interrogated, "Anton, what's going on? Why are there soldiers patrolling every single room and hallway in the castle? Where are Mom and Dad, and why did you seize me like this!?" These were all questions Tanya was not planned to ask today.

The Prince of Aldyn was silent, and pretended to completely ignore her questions. Whispering something to the well-dressed man next to him, they paused and took a glance at the princess, mirroring each other.

"Answer me!"

Shooting her an annoyed expression she recognized growing up, his eyebrows and forehead creased.

"Actually, you should be the one explaining, what are you doing back here? Were you not sent to Arendelle, to Queen Elsa?"

"Stop avoiding my questions, you will answer me now!" Tanya said forcefully. Even though she doubted it, perhaps the fire princess could use her tone of voice as means of intimidation.

"You've always been a bit short tempered." The prince sighed, in an animated way. Who was this foreign man, standing in her brother's place? Certainly her brother was not this contemptuous, though she was having serious misgivings.

"I'm in a good mood, so I'll answer your questions. While you have been obviously unaware, off in your own world, Aldyn has experienced many serious attacks from our neighboring kingdom."

"You mean Frelliya? The Kingdom of Frelliya we've established an alliance with for centuries?" They were the only kingdom by Aldyn that could be considered "neighboring."

Frelliya, was a small kingdom to the southwest of Aldyn, bordering the Lamov Sea. They were Aldyn's primary source of trade, and the bond between them remained peaceful for as far back as their history went. Their relationship was something to be proud of

"What other monarchy do you think I'm suggesting?" Anton said sarcastically. "Their attempts to raid the border towns were small at first. Initially we believed it was the work of an organized gang of brigands, until our officers investigated and learned it was in fact Frelliyan soldiers. Roughly the same time our parents made plans to send you to Arendelle, the Frelliyan soldiers began infiltrating our country with spies. This was their plan to allow their troops to sneak across our borders without detection. We allowed to keep this information hushed, until small villages became their targets. When you were sent off with the king and queen to Arendelle, they left me in control to fill their absence."

"That still doesn't answer anything," she said irritated. Anton was formulating some concealed plan, she could sense that much from analyzing his gestures. Although, it had been a while since the last time her brother acted like a normal person. He was beating around the bush.

"I wasn't finished speaking, as you so abruptly interrupted. To answer your inquiry of our parent's whereabouts, I am unsure myself. They never returned to the castle, and sent their last sealed letter from Arendelle weeks ago. It is unusual for them to be absent, without any method of communication. Tomorrow, I will walk down this hallway to announce their official passing, and my coronation as king."

Shocked, Tanya could not believe the words that went through her ears. Was Anton not going to extend his patience to hear from their parents? There was an unsettling tone of pride in his voice. He did not appear remorseful in the way he boasted about his new self-given status.

"The number of soldiers posted has increased, because we believe Frelliyan spies have infiltrated even this castle. We are expecting their army to advance to the capital, very soon. Even though they don't stand any chance, we will take no chances in becoming subject to those scum. But right now we have a more immediate, complex problem."

The princess cleared her throat, and crossed her arms as best she could with cuffs on. "And what might that be?" Tanya raised one eyebrow.

"I'm surprised you haven't guessed by now." Her brother said with complete false amazement. "I thought you would have at least questioned why you were sent away in the first place. You're increasingly uncontrollable powers to create fire… The firebird's curse on the family… I believe you know exactly what I'm speaking of, but don't want to admit it."

"No, I have no idea what you're talking about. It can't be me."

"But it is. The curse is very real, Aldyn's top researchers who monitored your powers agree as well. Combine that information with the several detailed records passed down our family line, and you see for yourself it's the truth. And it for certain is alive in you."

"The curse…" Deep down, Tanya already knew all this, despite all her attempts to deny it otherwise. She and her powers were to be condemned as something more destructive than merely human. Her eyes burned.

"No, the Firebird itself. You see, when our ancestor killed the flaming fiend, it set a curse of destruction on our line. Our line has now become all of Aldyn. The Firebird was unable to reincarnate, since it did not die its natural death. Once it does so, it turns to ashes before being born again and rising out of its grave. The curse it gave, to destroy our lineage, was its way of continuing its reincarnation cycle. Except its rise out of the ashes took much longer that I thought."

"You're lying!" The ash haired girl pointed as far as she could. "I am your sister, not some beast! I am Tanya, Princess of Aldyn!" The guards pulled on the chains holding her, and the princess snapped back.

"You are incorrect once again, but only partially. You may be at this moment Tanya of Aldyn. But, as you may have noticed, your powers are becoming more uncontrollable as each day passes. Soon you'll find you can no longer control them, and the Firebird will consume you with them. Finally you will accept that within you, there is another voice, stronger, and demanding destruction which you can't control. A wrath so commanding and bent on destroying Aldyn altogether."

"I…I…" Tanya stuttered as her whole body fell ablaze. She started to shake, and her hands caught fire, not by her own doing. The guards raised their spears as they gave her distance, and fixed their eyes on her, ready to strike and retaliate towards any spontaneous action.

"You see, you are already feeling it my dear sister. This is why our parents sent you to Arendelle, to stay with their Queen Elsa. Her strong powers, might have been able to counteract your own, if you had simply stayed. But I see you were incapable of doing even that. You have officially become a danger to the whole kingdom. There is no telling how the Firebird plans on abolishing Aldyn, but I can tell just by looking at your condition, it plans to do so during this unfortunate time with Frelliya."

Small fires lit up all over Tanya's body, magically escaping the barrier of skin in tiny patches. She could not help nor contain it. They burned tiny holes in her clothes without burning off her skin, though it hurt greatly and left her out of breath. What would Anton do to her?

"Guards, take her to the deepest part of the dungeon. She must not be allowed to escape," Anton signaled for his elite group of guards to cautiously drive her away.

Tanya was in too much hurt to resist. It felt as if her insides had caught on fire, and could not be extinguished. It burned right in her soul. It was agony. It was adrenaline. It was a pure and raw energy she had never felt before, and it was furious to get out. Whatever it was, it desired to eat her alive.

Her brother had changed. The Anton she had grown up with and used to be so close to, had transformed into a stranger. It was evident he no longer cared about her, and their blood relation meant nothing to him. If it did, the crown prince would have helped her control her powers, let alone arrest her. Though there was nothing he could have done to really help, it was the act of trying that would have mattered. Instead she was disregarded and treated hostilely, like a nuisance. Tanya resented him, and came to the conclusion Anton was the most selfish person she had ever met. None of this was her fault, could he not realize that? Even if she wanted to, Tanya was now incapable of repelling her powers. Her brother could no longer be trusted, now that he did not trust his own family. Neither could she trust her parents, or anyone else. Everyone had deceived her, and withheld the truth from her.

On top of that, there was Elsa.

As much as Tanya wanted to distrust the queen, but could not bring herself to do so. Her adoration for the blonde was too great. The collected Arendelle queen was patient, sweet, and gentle with her, and always there to help. And what had she done? She had hurt the blue eyed woman, the only person who genuinely cared about her, in the most personal way. The best thing the princess could do about Elsa was do her best to forget her, no matter how desperate she was to cling on to those memories.

The guards led her to the very end of the hallway, where there was a door. Though they did not say a word to her, the tight grip on her chains was a clear enough message that they thought Tanya as dangerous. It did not matter to them that she was the princess of Aldyn. Her brother was in charge now, and with her parents gone, what he said was the rule. Her status from heritage no longer mattered. Anton made her out to be a monster in front of the castle. And what did she do? She fueled his fire, literally, by catching on fire. The breathing techniques she taught herself over the years, helped extinguish some of the fires emitting from her body, but did not cure the condition.

Through the door, the guards took her down a long fleet of stairs down a spiral tunnel, which seemed to go on forever. Torches lit the stairs, keeping the place visible. They walked down for ten minutes until they reached the end of the stairs. The place they entered was made up from the walls of a cavern. Jail cells molded into the natural shapes of the cavern walls. One of the guards reached for his keys, before opening one of the last cells. He led her in, without un-cuffing her, and locked the cell door on his way out. It was recited there would be one meal a day, and the torches would be lit for six hours during each day. A couple spell casters (an extremely rare profession) set enchantments on the cell and surrounding walls to prevent Tanya from getting out. Once they left the princess, still in chains, she was too sad to even bother moving. This was to be her existence, and she no longer had the energy to fight.

She could have melted the cuffs back in the throne room, if she had wanted to, and run away from Aldyn altogether. But where would she have gone? Where could she have escaped to, to make a living, to live a peaceful quiet life without being constantly pursued? Arendelle could never be an option. There was no way she could risk facing Elsa again. The queen of Arendelle was probably just a day or two away from her kingdom now, and hopefully was erasing any memories of the princess. Frankly, Tanya just did not care to run away again. It was not something she could keep repeating.

The princess' wrists ached. If she made her choice to live in the cell, she might as well be able to move her arms. The princess used her powers to melt the metal cuffs off her wrists, and chains which were now attached to the wall. In a matter of seconds they melted off, liquefied in a puddle of scalding metal on the stone ground. At least one perk with her powers was that they kept her warm, combating the cold in the dungeon.

"What was that now?"

Tanya spun around and her heart began to pound from fear. "Who's there?" Though the torches lit a part of the dungeon, it was hard to see, and she could not detect most of what was around her.

"You're the girl from the harbor town, the princess of Aldyn who was with the queen of Arendelle."

The voice was all too familiar, and Tanya was almost positive she knew whose it was. "Show yourself."

From the shadows emerged the silhouette of a crippled, beaten man. It was the pirate captain who chased her and Elsa from the village. The glint in his eyes indicated he was not happy at all, Tanya could see that much.

"I remember this scar ye gave me," the captain rolled up his sleeve to show a horrible burn, which ran all the way up from his hand to his shoulder. The mutilation made his entire arm appear withered. "I also recognize the face that gave it to me," he hatefully snarled.

_Oh no. _

Out of all the cells in the dungeon, and she had to be next to his? Tanya refused to talk to him. He had no business talking to her after all. It was just her luck that the only other person in the dungeon was the pirate captain, who was going to sell her as a slave. He could not get to her from his cell, he was no danger to her. In fact, she was more of a danger to him. She was curious why he was in Aldyn's castle dungeon, but she was not curious enough to ask.

"I know who you are, and what yer capable of. Same as well as that queen of Arendelle. It's an abomination, yer powers. Only good for destruction. It's a shame that ye and your queen didn't make it back to Frelliya. We could have convinced you to perhaps end the war."

Tanya was interested. Was she and Elsa kidnapped by pirates, not to be sold as slaves, but for military concerns? Apparently it showed on her face.

"I see yer intrigued, but still refuse to speak. I'll tell ye, as it doesn't matter anymore. My execution is tomorrow, and yers will most likely be shortly after. We were hired by both Aldyn and Frelliya, for our services to capture you and Elsa. Normally we don't take jobs of a mercenary, but they offered a large pay out to finish the job. We were to either end ye both, or bring you back to Aldyn, where ye would be taken care of. And by that, I don't mean being pampered like spoiled royals. My crew all agreed it would be best to deliver ye to Aldyn, and prove that we completed the work. It's a sick twist of fate that we have crossed paths again."

She would not give in by acknowledging the pirate. But was it true, was Aldyn really conspiring with Frelliya? She could no longer resist her curiosity. Given the captain's situation, it did not really matter anyway.

"What do you mean both Aldyn and Frelliya hired you? Are they not at war with one another? You must be mistaken, being the lowly pirate you are."

"Unfortunately you must have been told a lie. They both hired me for the same reason; to either end you or bring you and the queen back to Aldyn, in the hands of Prince Anton."

The captain read Tanya's face like a book. "I would bet good money ye don't have a clue about the fate of Aldyn's king and queen."

Tanya could not feel her face as her heartbeat stopped, at the mentioning of her parents.

"Tell me where they are, you swine!" Tanya lashed out with flames, almost reaching the pirate's cell, as she gripped the jail bars with both hands. She was frankly tired of hearing his voice, and she would light the whole place up if he did not stop.

"The king and queen? Yer parents? They've been exterminated," the captain worded, as if they were vermin and he did her a favor.

_Exterminated_… Everything in Tanya's mind went blank. She could not think. Time stopped, and the world began to spin. Executed… They were killed, and she never got to say goodbye. _Murdered_…

Her eyes, now a gray color, swirled like a storm at sea and her powers were the lightning. She uncontrollably sent blasts of fire, burning the captain's cell out of despair.

"You will pay now!" There was nothing the captain could do to harm or even reach Tanya, guarded by her own enchanted cell. He was at the mercy of her wide range magic. The coattails on his suit jacket caught flame, and he dropped to the ground frantically rolling.

"I was not the one who killed the king and queen!" He screamed, unable to extinguish his burning clothes. "It was yer brother Anton!"

"What? But how could… He couldn't…!"

"It's true! I swear my life on it! I saw it done with my own eyes! Please I beg mercy, reverse your magic!" He withered in utter agony, as his body began to disintegrate.

In a sick way, it made sense. Because of the way the pirate pleaded with her, she could not count his words as false. After all, Tanya was treated as a criminal by her own brother. She was beckoned to the loneliest parts of the dungeon, and labeled as a monster in front of everyone. The pirate captain was not lying. Anton had murdered their parents in cold blood, seeking power. When they had left for Arendelle with the princess, it was the optimal moment for Anton to propose and strike a pact with Frelliya.

She watched the man flailing around, burning to death. But she was too stricken by grief and anger to feel any remorse. Had she become like Elsa then, who had taken down the entire pirate fleet at sea? "Sorry," there was no sympathy in Tanya's matter-of-fact apology. "I don't know how," she turned around and sat on the ground, her back facing the pirate.

"You can't leave me here to die! Demon!"

She ignored his cries. His life was ending a day early. Yet, it was the truth when she said she lacked experience in reversing her magic. She had never been able to accomplish the feat, after many times of trying. The princess came to the difficult conclusion her powers were indeed uncontrollable. Maybe if she had listened to Elsa, she could have learned a thing or two. But now it was too late. A tear rolled down her face, but brushed it off. He was a dead man anyway. Tanya bent over in pain, with her hands planted on the ground as a support. Gritting her teeth, she waited until the whole cell melted in flames, and the spell casters inspected the scene.

Maybe she was a demon, her powers nothing more than the result of the firebird possessing her.

* * *

><p>"Anna! Look!"<p>

They were a mile away from the city, but something was amiss. At the rate smoke was rising from the houses, the city could become a field of ruin by the time they arrived. Aldyn was at war, no, this was not a just a typical war. It was if the opposing army was working together with Aldyn's forces. Both royals witnessed the gates to the city open for the demanding militia, instead of warding the soldiers off behind brick walls.

Something was not right. Elsa guessed both parties were collaborating together to merge, unknown to the citizens' knowledge.

"Tanya's going to be alright. She has to be. From what you've told me about her anyway, she sounds quite capable of providing for herself."

Aldyn and the area around the city, could now pose a serious danger to the queen. If she was caught, it would jeopardize even Arendelle's safety. But if they stayed put, they would either be found and killed, or taken as captives of war. She would not endanger the life of her sister again. Anna was the world to her. But if they were to go back to Arendelle, it would mean having to give up on Tanya forever.

There was no way the ice queen could allow Tanya perish this way. If she did leave with Anna, Olaf, and Sven, and let Aldyn face its fate, she would never excuse herself for forfeiting the girl she loved. She would rescue Tanya from whatever horrible outcome, and they would all go back to Arendelle together, where it was safe.

"I've made up my mind," officially stated by the queen. "Anna, I'm ordering you to go back to Arendelle with Sven and Olaf. Take the way we came through the secret passage. If you absolutely feel you cannot take that route, go around the mountains heading south on its short end. I will be going to Aldyn for Tanya."

"Elsa, you can't. Half the city looks like it's in uproar. Who knows what's going on down there? They will surely capture you, or dare I say, kill you!" Anna's face pleaded as she grabbed her sister's bicep, ready to pull back if necessary. But Anna knew she could not restrain her sister from following her heart. Elsa gave her a look, and with much sadness, the redhead let go.

"You're overreacting. I'm not going to perish or become anyone's prisoner. I will make it back to Arendelle, and that's a promise." The ice queen gave her sister a quick, tight hug. "I promise. Will you swear to go back to Kristoff?" Maybe if she reminded her sister of the ice harvester, it would compel Anna to follow her sister's direction.

Anna simply nodded. Olaf and Sven went on each of her sides. "We will make sure to watch her!" Olaf said happily, non-reflective of the mood.

Sven just grunted as usual, and with some imagination, could be interpreted as, "You can count on us."

Elsa took her younger sister's hands and squeezed them. "I love you Anna," the queen said in a low voice. As she released them, the blonde spun away to speed down the woodsy hill.

"I love you too Elsa," Anna whispered to herself, as her sister was too distant to hear. But as if sibling telepathy kicked in, Elsa stopped in her tracks, turned her head around, and waved.

Everything was going to be alright. She was sure of it. She made a promise.

Elsa smiled slightly, as she headed down, looking upward with topaz blue eyes. "I'm coming to save you, Tanya."

* * *

><p>There was a thick fog that morning in Arendelle, which made the air heavier to breathe in. The atmosphere was as cold and sharp as ice, which parched all warmth from Kristoff's lungs. But at that moment, the dirty blond did not particularly care.<p>

He was running as fast as he could to catch up to a boy, no older than the age of fourteen. He witnessed the adolescent delivering a vial of poison to the castle courtyard, put inside the same hidden brick which he uncovered.

Naturally as one does when their shady behavior is observed, the boy sprinted off with a small envelope. Kristoff was determined not to lose this young delinquent out of his sight. Thankfully the fog provided him enough advantage to obscure the precise distance. Even though the kid was just doing this as a job, he probably was unaware of the deeper details and dirt. The ice harvester came up with another approach. He would not stop the boy and interrogate him. Instead he would follow the deliverer to the place he would distribute the stamped envelope to.

If only Anna knew what was going on. Kristoff missed his fiancé like crazy, especially during this time, when he wanted her the most. But it was probably best that she did not know. The freckled girl was prone to overthinking and worrying, and that was the last thing that she needed. He suddenly felt acrimonious about the entire circumstance.

_Why did Elsa have to vanish in the first place? Why couldn't she have simply sent some of her guards to look for the princess?_ These thoughts repeated in Kristoff's head over and over, and refused to depart from his mind. The castle and higher standing Arendelle politicians would not be able to keep it disclosed to the public for much longer, that both the queen and the next heir in line were missing. Even now, there was hushed gossip going around the city about the royal family's inactivity; quite unusual and out of character. Especially for Princess Anna. Someone would eventually need to spill the news, before talk got out of hand. For his fiancé's sake he would most likely take some responsibility for their disappearance, and Kristoff was not too thrilled about that concept.

The young boy arrived at a secluded house at the edge of the city. In a rushed way, he knocked on the door using a certain rhythmic pattern, which was obvious enough to be a code for the person residing there. The door creaked ajar, and inside a dimmed light was burning. A man stuck one hand out, took the envelope from the boy's hand, and swapped it for a few pretty pennies. He shooed away the kid, closing the door in practically a slam. The kid whistled as he walked away, satisfied, and juggling the bag of coins he had received.

Kristoff was frustrated he could not make out more of the man's face. It had clearly been a man by his stature, and not too old either. However, this was definitely not considered a lost cause. In fact, Kristoff was very successful. He would go back to the castle, find documents about that house, spilling details as to whom its owner was.

Staying up late that night into the wee hours of the morning, Kristoff scanned through all the filed documents regarding Arendelle's land ownership. It was not terribly difficult for him to understand the filing system or to pull out a statement on that particular house. What was funny, was that he could not find the name nor a history of the owners. It was nowhere to be found anywhere else.

After a longer amount of time had passed, he could not find any record of ownership, and gave up the search.

"This is senseless, what am I even doing anymore?" Kristoff said to himself, defeated and exhausted. He wished to give everything up, and pretend like nobody was trying to poison him. Eventually they would realize the plan to put poison in his food was failing, and would attempt some other tactic anyway.

Skimming one more time through the papers on the messy desk, he discovered he had overlooked an older, crinkly folder. Opening it, he realized it contained one out of many lists of every property the royal family owned in the city.

"Perhaps the information is in here?"

Kristoff knew that Arendelle owned a few houses for special guests who would require their visit to be discreet. He also knew, as it was known gossip, royals often used those houses to sneak, if they needed time alone. Scouring down the list, sure enough, Kristoff found the particular property was maintained under the royal family's name.

But this bit of information did not add up. Who then, could the man in the house be? Certainly not any lowly commoner, but perhaps someone close to Elsa, with a hidden agenda? It was required for them to be close to the queen, to own any sort of intrinsic right to use. It was castle knowledge that Elsa trusted the significant keys to be confided under one man. It suddenly dawned on the ice harvester; he knew exactly who the man was that wanted him gone.

Just then a voice ringed, splitting the dead silence.

"I see you've been in here for a while now, would you like some tea?"


	17. Chapter 17 - Dungeon Dash

For the rest of the night, Tanya lay motionless. Aldyn guards rushed down to the dungeon to douse the chaos she created, but by the time they arrived it was completely incinerated. Despite pretending to ignore her presence completely, the guards muttered back and forth to each other, with trembling voices.

Blotches around her body continued to burn and burst into flames, and extinguish themselves unrelentingly. Her scorching skin banned the princess from any rest.

Would her brother really execute her like her parents? After all that happened, she would not be surprised. Even though the information about her parents' murder was not proven, the facts did come from the pirate captain's last words. Everything added up.

For once in her life, she craved the thought of giving up.

So her body was finally succumbing to her own powers after all; the inevitable event the girl continued to run away from and suppress her whole life. And she abandoned the only possibility of healing that was obtainable.

_Elsa wanted to help me. She cared for me. She…_

_Loved me. _

Tanya gripped the necklace she held in her hand, the one Elsa gave to her before she ran off like a coward. It was the only article she wore that was untouched and undamaged. The jewel shone brilliantly red and refracted her fiery light emitting from her skin. Curled up on her side on the floor, Tanya pulled the necklace closer to her chest.

She was angry towards herself and what she was becoming. Anton was right about her. One of the best things to happen to her, which she did not even deserve, she pushed away. Now it was too late to make up for the past, and would never have an opportunity to express everything she wanted to say.

"Oh Elsa, I'm so sorry," Tanya said, admitting to herself out loud in a murmur. "I didn't want to leave you behind like that, I wanted to say yes; yes, so many times. I'm so sorry I hurt you, and didn't tell you how I felt." She choked back her sobs and swallowed with difficulty. There was no number of times she could say sorry, which would make up for her mistakes.

Tanya did not know how long she wept for, but it was the most painful moment of her life. It had to be. Because as much as she pushed her away, she loved the ice queen, and everything about her. The problem was that Tanya had no clue how to make it work. But she would not ever have the chance to make that choice.

She wished Elsa could be there holding and comforting her. More than anything she wanted the cool touch of the queen's arms around her waist, filled with her crisp yet welcoming scent. Tanya wanted to feel her heart melt again, as if the queen had frozen it. Just as they had been those times before. Just once more.

"Elsa if I never get to say this to you… I'm sorry."

* * *

><p><em>That's it!<em>

Guards were infested around every corner of the castle, and Elsa barely managed to sneak past them unnoticed. After two men left the room to grab helmets, she entered the supply room and left with a disguise. She discarded her dress and some other items under an empty barrel, tucked away in the recesses of the chamber. The guard uniform was white and black with highlights of silver and red, which she wore buttoned all the way up to her neck. That seemed to be most popular way the guards wore it, as she observed. The queen wore black leather boots, which rose to her knees. Along with the uniform was a black and silver leather belt, as well as a white hooded military cloak which reached down to her knees. It seemed to be optional whether the guards were required to wear cloak. Tucking her hair underneath, she draped the hood over her head, which covered part of her face. She equipped a standard sword from the rack onto her belt, and double checked if she was missing anything. Elsa shrugged. The queen had no intention with interacting with anyone in the castle. The sole reason she was there was to find Tanya.

She walked out the door nonchalantly and silent. It would work to her advantage if she did not act suspicious or refer any attention to herself. Upon seeing the smoke coming from the city with Anna, she could tell something was amiss. From the moment she approached the castle, the eerie atmosphere reeked of hostility. Elsa was not dumb. Hesitantly, she concluded before revealing her presence to the king and queen or identity to the guards, she would first find and talk to Tanya. Roam near the throne room for a sign, Elsa kept her senses alert for any sign of the princess.

Passing by the guards who patrolled the halls, none of them acknowledged her. They did not even acknowledge each other. They did not appear very happy at that. Silence rang loud in the air. Elsa figured walking around and waiting to eavesdrop was not working to her advantage, and wandered for physical clues around the castle instead. Elsa had no idea to what exactly she was searching for. Really, it was anything that could give Tanya's whereabouts.

The throne room stood four long columns of pillars. Every two hundred feet or so, a guard was posted at each pillar, while some paced around the room. She noticed a servant with a bucket and cleaning supplies, scrubbing up a large part of the hall, in front of the throne. As he wiped away, a dark grey cloud of dust wafted up from the floor, which he inhaled and coughed.

Something must have occurred here earlier.

Sure enough, there were dark burnt spots scattered along the floor, identical to the one the man was attending to.

_Did Tanya struggle here? What happened?_

It had to be made by the princess. Exact char marks appeared after she used her magic to run away near the mountains. No one was going to tell Elsa. She would have to figure it out herself. Clearly there was some sort of struggle here as well as in the city, but the castle was certainly not in an uproar. If Tanya fought here, then they must have thrown her in a place that will block her from causing further damage. Somewhere perhaps isolating.

There were two places Elsa deducted where Tanya might be. Either the highest towers of the castle, or the undermost parts of the dungeon. Since she was already on the bottom floor, Elsa would look down in the dungeon first, before exploring the tower wings. Where Aldyn's dungeon was actually sited was beyond her, and it was not like she could ask for directions. But understanding the familiar designs resembling Arendelle's castle, the queen could improvise. It was something she was decent at.

After another hour or so had passed, Elsa noticed an isolated door near the end of the hall, which was slightly different and less intricate from the other doors. She would check every room if she had to, and maybe one of these times luck would work in her favor. It did not matter how long it took or how creeped out she was. The queen would find the princess.

Elsa opened the door, and descending below was a narrow, spiral staircase. This could be exactly what she was looking for. Grabbing one of the lit torches, the ice queen closed the door behind her and disappeared in the depths.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here Kai?"<p>

The plump man gave a startled smile to Kristoff, "Excuse me? I'm not quite sure what you mean. I am just here to offer you tea while you're hard at work, doing… whatever you are doing!"

It all made sense. The only other person who could potentially have access to the houses was Kai. He had authority over the castle, and was the primary holder of the master key to the castle, as well as property. He was close to the royal line, since his family was one of the few that served Arendelle as knights and advisors for centuries. Practically everyone in the kingdom knew that.

Kristoff was not going to confront the older man directly. First he was going to test him, to analyze his response.

"No thank you, I'm not very thirsty right now," he saw that Kai remained expressionless.

"I insist," Kai persisted, and adjusted his green blazer. "This tea was just imported to Arendelle today, from the eastern world. You really must try it, the flavor is so delicate and delectable."

"I appreciate your gesture, but I may just make myself a cup tomorrow."

Kai stepped closer, creaking the floor, "Are you sure?" A grave look appeared on the man's face.

"Positive," Kristoff would stand firm and watch how the other man decided to act.

There was a moment of silence. Neither of them said anything to each other.

"In that case…" Kai went over and placed the tray gently down on the desk. He was only a few feet from Kristoff. "I will have to take other measures!"

Kai lunged like a snake at the ice harvester, and Kristoff quickly jumped to the side. For a man of his stature, he was rather quick. The advisor fumbled before reaching into his coat pocket and drawing a dagger with his white gloved hands. Baring his teeth, Kai extended his arm, pointing the large knife at Kristoff. Kai was an opponent the former mountain man would be able to overtake, but the sharp weapon changed the rules of the game.

"W-Why?" It was the only thing he could think to saying to a man trying to kill him.

"That is no matter for you. Your only concern is accepting your fate!" Kai ran towards him, lunging the dagger held his right hand. Kristoff could tell the advisor had expertise in using knives.

There was no weapon or object of defense within Kristoff's reach, which he could utilize to his advantage. Now was the time to get creative. Kristoff swung around his desk, grabbed the pen ink made from black charcoal, and flung it in Kai's face. Ink skewered Kai's vision, and he spit it out of his mouth.

With no second to spare, Kristoff kicked at Kai's knees which flipped him over backwards, knocking him down. He still held the dagger in his grasp, but before he could get up, Kristoff pinned him down. The dagger was aimed between his eyes, as Kai summoned all his strength to worm his way out. But after all the years of basically living in the wilderness with Sven, Kristoff had superiority when it came to might.

"You don't know what you're doing!" Spat Kai, with a snarl unfamiliar to what Kristoff was used to.

"I know _exactly_ what I'm doing. I'm stopping you from trying kill and poison me all those times."

"But you have no idea what's going on! How can you even _consider_ marrying someone in the royal family, when you don't even know what's happening in this kingdom?!"

A team of Arendelle's guards busted through the door, which was locked. The first one spoke, "We heard a struggle going on in here!" He immediately saw Kristoff holding Kai down, and his eyes trailed to the dagger in the advisor's hand. "Arrest the man!" He ordered his subordinates while pointing at the Kai pinned to the ground.

"Wait! I have served the royal family for years, you don't know what you're doing!" He said it a second time, and Kristoff wanted to know what he meant by it. Was there something the advisor knew that Kristoff did not?

The guards ignored Kai, "Don't try to resist! Anything you do will be held against you." They pulled him out the door, and two nurses flew into the room to aid Kristoff.

"Where are you hurt? On a scale of one to ten, how is your pain?" Said the first.

Kristoff sat up on the ground with one arm resting on his leg. "I'm alright, maybe a little bruised, but nothing bad. Maybe a three?"

"Thank goodness. You're a very lucky man. Even so, we still need to ask a few more questions in order to have a complete scope of things," said the second medic. "We will send someone to clean up the mess in here afterwards."

Sure enough paperwork from the desk was scattered all over the floor, the lamp knocked over, and ink on the carpet.

"That would be great, thank you. Do you think I could get a glass of water?"

The nurses proceeded with several questions Kristoff assumed they had to ask, even though they were rather obvious. His answers would also be referred to, when Kai would be interrogated. The timing of events was impeccable. When they were finished with him, the ice harvester asked if he was allowed to leave.

"Of course. You should rest from whatever you're doing, while you're at it."

"That's actually not a bad idea at all." Kristoff got up, a little shaken up from the ordeal that happened in just the last few minutes. He organized the papers in one large pile, and slid them into the top drawer of the desk. "I'll be in my room then."

Already servants were entering the office with supplies, the same moment he walked out the door. It was surreal how fast the events happened and flew by. Kai, just attempted to murder me.

At the moment the advisor entered the room with tea, Kristoff realized it was the advisor that wanted him gone. But now, after weeks of not eating or drinking a regular meal, after all the times someone tried to poison him, Kristoff could finally rest. The person who wanted him gone was taken under custody by the castle guard, and would reside in prison until Anna and Elsa returned. Then the sisters would decide a reasonable punishment.

If Anna was here, she would know how to handle this. Well, maybe the princess would not know how in the most mature way, but the queen sure would. Elsa knew Kai the best out of all of them, and would know the best method of examining the royal advisor. Kristoff entered his room, and by his bed on the nightstand was a glass of water alongside some bread and jam.

Kristoff sat at the edge of the bed, and slowly drank the water. It was too hard for him to swallow. He tried taking a bite out of the food, but it was tasteless to him. Swallowing the bite, his eyes swelled up. Wiping his eyes, Kristoff laid down on the bed on his back, with crossed arms supporting his big head. Everything would work itself out after sleeping for a couple hours. Sure enough Kristoff dozed off sooner than Sven usually did, with the last thought on his mind being Anna.

* * *

><p>Good luck sided with the queen. Sure enough, laying in the dirty ground inside the last cell, was her princess; was Tanya. She noticed, despite her charred clothes and some burnt off patches around the princess' skin, she was shivering. If Elsa did not have her powers which regulated her blood temperature, she would have been cold as well.<p>

The queen had trailed the staircase all the way, while checking over at least eight floors, to the bottom floor. Most of the cells were almost all empty and abandoned, except for the occasional insane lunatic, and lined both the left and the right sides. Elsa had no idea how far or long she had walked down the path. It was an endless tunnel, and the torch she carried was beginning to fade out.

But just before she turned back around, she saw a girl in the corner of her eye.

Her heart skipped a beat. Tanya, the girl she would give the world for, was alive! Checking the dungeon first was not an absurd idea after all. But now that she was here and Tanya was only a few feet away, what would she say? Elsa could feel her cold blood racing and pulsing through her fingers. As nervous and anxious as she was, her worries would have to wait. Elsa needed to save the princess from whatever situation she was in, and escape Aldyn.

As Elsa moved closer to Tanya's cell, and the princess seemed to notice someone there.

Without rolling around, Tanya said, "So are you here to execute me?"

The queen froze in her steps, with her mouth slightly ajar, "No, I'm here to get you out of this place."

Startled by the distinguishable voice, Tanya flipped around and sat up, with both arms propping her. "El-Elsa? Is it really you? Please don't let this be my mind or powers obscuring my perception now," Tanya prayed.

"Your mind is not messing with you, I'm really here, and I'm busting you out." Elsa took off the black gloves of the uniform, and stuffed them into her cloak pocket. Placing her hands on the cell bars, her freezing magic slowly cracked through the spell casters' barrier around the space. Once she managed to overcome the spells, the bars froze over in seconds. Her powers were much stronger than any spell casters' magic she had come across. With a graceful gesture of her arm, an icy wind blew into the bars, disintegrating them into snow particles. To clean up her mess, Elsa made an upward hand movement, and the snow evaporated. The cell had vanished entirely in a wisp of icy wind, as the two girls locked eyes.

In a monotone voice, with unrelenting eye contact, the princess said, "Forget me Elsa. I'm a lost cause." The queen sensed loss, and her tone of voice betrayed her. Going on in Tanya's mind, the princess did not want Elsa to get hurt at her expense. "I have caused you trouble and personally hurt you. You don't deserve any of this, and you don't deserve me. Leave before you get caught here, it's not safe. My brother-"

Elsa ran to her side and knelt to her level, hugging Tanya tightly in her arms. "I am not letting you go, and I'm not leaving you here to waste away!" Tanya's muscles tensed up at the touch, her blank expression turned to full emotion. "Please! For Arendelle, for yourself, for me!"

This time, the queen was not going to listen. Elsa's lithe, bare hands grasped around the princess' abdomen, hoisting her up on her feet. "Lean on me, I'll get us out. Something deviant is happening in Aldyn, and we aren't safe here."

"You need to listen to me," she said in all seriousness. "My brother can't be trusted!" But from by simply trying, Tanya's legs gave way, and the queen caught her before she fell to the floor.

"I presumed that was the case," Elsa said with a smile. "By seeing the looks of things in the city, it seems as if your family is forcing the citizens to comply with an alliance. Hang on one second." With both hands, Elsa scooped up Tanya into her arms. If she could not walk, then the queen would just have to carry her out.

"My family? Haven't you heard? My parents are dead."

"What! Where did you hear that? Are you sure?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure," Tanya thought of the pirate captain, and decided it was for the best to not mention the source. "I do know that during the moment it was said, they were telling the truth."

"Do you know how it happened?"

"It… was my brother Anton."

Elsa pursed her lips. How could anyone consider killing their parents, and treat their own family like this?

"Well I won't let your brother lay a finger on you, I swear on it," the princess' hands combusted, and Elsa nulled out the fire. "I'm not going to give up that easily on you." She looked into the princess' worn eyes, which glowed in the darkness, her face charred and bruised.

"But if you're around me you'll surely get hurt, and I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have. I'm losing control of my own power, and a danger to everyone including myself. You can just look at me and see what it's done."

"I'm able to keep my temperature cold enough, and prevent any of those flames from reaching my skin. You wouldn't be able to burn me even if you tried. It's okay Tanya."

"Elsa…" Tanya said in a whisper. "This is what I wanted to say, back at the pass, when you gave me the necklace." She opened her palm, and revealed to Elsa she still carried the ruby necklace in her possession. "I want you too."

The snow queen stopped, her face blushing like a tomato. "Y-You do?" It came out in a small voice, but she was in shock. Was the girl she loved actually able to reciprocate her feelings? She could not comprehend those words. Elsa just smiled back at Tanya, and stroked her cheek as the girl closed her eyes. Now was not the best time for this discussion, and Tanya was almost depleted of every drop of remaining energy.

The walk back was long and strenuous, as the queen carried the girl to the spiraling flight of steps. She and Tanya ignored the calls the insane prisoners buttered out, saying all they could to potentially achieve freedom. Up eight flights of stairs and to the door. That's all that was left of the despicable dungeon. Elsa's arms felt weak from carrying the princess for the last fifteen minutes. However she knew this would just be the first part of their escape, the first phase. Once they reached the top, they would be put in a much more crucial position. That was, successfully getting out of Aldyn without their presence noticed. The probability of that was highly unlikely. But they had to, not just to ensure their escape, but their lives.

She knew this would be an almost impossible task, and Elsa was prepared to take action if necessary, even if it was not the wisest move. If she used her ice powers, her identity would be revealed. Currently, she still sported the uniform and passed as another guard. They had no clue Elsa managed to break into the castle. The worst possible outcome of revealing her magic, was that Aldyn would interpret the queen as a threat from Arendelle. Allowing her kingdom's reputation to become tarnished could seriously be a bad move. But she would stop Aldyn's entire army if she had to. Anything, to protect the ones she loved, especially the girl she supported now.

Fumbling to twist open the door handle with an elbow, she peered around the furnished hallway. Thankfully, the path was made clear for them. Working her arms in a more comfortable lifting position, the ice queen carried her as swiftly as she could, doing a good job of not losing balance with the extra weight. Turning around the corner, she walked right into five guards.

"Halt, what do you think you're doing?" The thrusted his arm forward, his hand facing her in a stop motion. Behind him, the guards placed their hands on the hilt of their swords and spears, ready for their captain to say the word. They sure seemed antsy.

_So much for sneaking around. _

Naturally, she had to lie to get out of this one. Elsa really did not condone lying, but lives depended on quick thinking. Fortunately back in the dungeon, she had time to conjure up a story.

"I'm bringing the prisoner to Our Royal Highness Prince Anton." Did Elsa exaggerate his title a bit much? She doubted it, considering how uptight their expressions and movements were. It was probably very appropriately worded. "He ordered me to summon her in, to cross-examine her personally."

The look on the guard's face was not convinced. "So why are you not headed upstairs? Isn't that the way you should be going, to the west wing cabinet?" He rubbed his chin with his thumb and index finger.

She could only play dumb. "What, the prince is not currently in the throne room?"

"Negative, he left to hold a meeting with Frelliya a couple hours ago. Everyone here is aware of that. This is the big assembly, to join together our kingdoms. I suppose he has summoned our most recent prisoner to make an example of her, or to ensure stability of the kingdom. But that doesn't answer why the prisoner isn't shackled. Might I ask?"

"She is in no fit to fight back. I made sure of that," Elsa replied gruffly. "Now I that I'm aware the royal prince is no longer in the throne room, I will see to it the captive is delivered upstairs."

"Good. I will send two of my guards with you to show you the way," he summoned a man and woman both standing behind him, leaving two other guards remaining. A twitch of his eyebrows signaled to her the captain did not believe her fib.

If Elsa went along with it, she would be made to follow the guards to the meeting chamber, making means of escape much harder. It was either follow the order, one she did not even trust, or fly now while she had a shot. She picked the latter.

They stood a couple arm's lengths away. An adequate amount of distance. Either way the five of them countered no competition against her, even with the aid of their weaponry. Elsa sighed. She knew what she had to do. "This will only take one minute," the ice queen spoke only to the princess, gently setting her down against the wall. Using an upward motion with both of her hands, she froze the five guards simultaneously which preserved the shape of their bodies in a thick layer of ice. This would stop them for a couple hours, at least until they left the city. Then Elsa would release their prison.

"Elsa, help," Tanya said in a hack, coughing up black smoke from her lungs. It started steaming out of her nostrils. "It burns."

Tanya looked awful, and Elsa had no sense of what to do. The only thing she could do that might help, was to go over to the princess and cover the girl's ears with her hands. The blonde made her hands frigid to cool the smoke. Once the smoking stopped, Elsa made a cube of ice, which would not melt unless her magic permitted it. That way, she could massage it against her skin, which degraded with every passing moment.

Black fumes still emitted from Tanya's mouth. She did not know if she wanted to try this particular move, but the queen knew she could create cold blasts with just her breath. The closer her lips came to Tanya's, the more nervous she became. But this was not a kiss at all, it was to just prevent her condition from worsening…

Tanya closed her eyes.

Yet, the weight of their situation snapped them both back to a focus.

They were no more than an inch apart, when more guards yelling at each other within Elsa's earshot. They must have heard the commotion in the hallway. First I have to get her out of here, before I can… think of remedying her condition.

Spooning up the younger girl back into her grip, she ran as fast as she could while lugging another body. The closer she came to the castle entryway, the brighter the place filled, with natural light. Hopefully she would avoid confronting too many sentries along the way. To her dismay, it was completely blocked off by a small-sized, armed barricade, stretching all the way down to the front entrance. Equipped with spears in hand, they were ready to stop her any cost. But were they really? The ice queen was prepared as well.

Concentrating on the space around them while focusing internally, Elsa created a thick ice storm encircling her and the princess. Many tried their best to slice and spear through the pelting shards moving at incredible speed, but their blades failed short as adequate protection. Face out of visibility, one guard made it scarcely further than the rest, with the tip of his spear flailing around. But like everything else, he was blown away, and thrown against the castle wall. One by one, they were knocked unconscious. The blow was not strong enough to kill them in this setting. If the ice queen was not allowed to leave the way she came, she would just have to plow through to the main gate, through her brute strength.

Pieces of Tanya's skin started to harden and change its form similar to how lava hardens. It cracked, breaking off pieces scattering a trail they left behind. The queen winced at the sound the formerly smooth skin made. It was painful to even watch, and a hundred times more so for Tanya. It was if her skin served as an egg shell, and something new started to hatch from within. Unfortunately, the situation was not as pleasant to think about. Underneath the molten skin was unlike Elsa had ever seen, something else swirling, ablaze inside of her. The sight of the princess would have terrified anyone else, but not the queen. Elsa would be with Tanya and protect her no matter what. But now Tanya was definitely in trouble.

"We're almost there!" Elsa shouted, her stress level rising and heart rate pulsing. "Don't worry, I have you!" She grunted.

From the perspective of the courtyard, it appeared as if a mix between a hurricane and an avalanche busted through the thirty foot castle doors. Aldyn citizens started to yell, more than they were already, and sprinted away from the storm to preserve their lives. Aldyn and Frelliyan soldiers included. Mother's swooped up their children. The horses and livestock were cut loose and freed. Everyone else rushed out the gates and back to their homes, to salvage treasured, personal belongings. The confusion and chaos which rioted in the city was swept away by an even larger disaster.

* * *

><p>Watching from a high up window in the castle, stood two men. The Aldyn prince remained motionless, hands behind his back in white and black garb, with a gold and purple belt. The other was an older man who appeared to be the prince's senior by twenty years. His face was broad with strong features, his scalp completely bald, and had a full, neatly trimmed beard. He dressed in red and purple, with black pauldron, breastplate, and boots. Both men were turned to the window, staring down at the storm below.<p>

The prince opened his mouth to speak, "So the creature finally came out to play."

"What if we can't control it?"

"We will."

"You know what we signed upon the agreement," the older man shook his beefy index finger. "If this gets in the way of our alliance, I swear on my-"

"Everything will be contained. Our forces have been called back, and the city's evacuation was just released now," Anton replied coolly, unfazed. Frelliya's king did not intimidate him. He could not risk this union going awry, or every critical action he took would be for nothing. It was in neither of the men's best interests for prophecy to obstruct their plans.

The Frelliyan king was fully aware of the prophecy, and what it meant. Anton had filled him in on as much as he could. But with Tanya being back in Aldyn, she posed a serious threat. The king-to-be had utilized Tanya's stay in Arendelle to his advantage, and saw it as a bonus. It left him a split-of-a-second opportunity to usurp the throne, and even offer Frelliya something they could not refuse. Control over Arendelle. Now that both Arendelle's queen and his sister were here, the prize was much closer in range.

* * *

><p>Anna watched with Sven and Olaf, as a giant strom of snow and ice encompassed the castle courtyard, to around the castle itself. It resembled what happened to Arendelle castle a summer ago, after Elsa was captured by Prince Hans.<p>

Something horribly wrong was happening, and she could not bear to just stand there and watch. Anna had to go down and save her sister like the time she had before. But… it was not even supposed to be like this. Her sister promised she would be okay, that she would be back, and insisted for the party to stay behind. This thought halted her from climbing on top of the reindeer and riding down to Aldyn. In her head, she could hear Elsa scolding voice.

_If something happens to the both of us, then what will happen to Arendelle?_

That sounded very much like something Elsa would say, at least in Anna's mind. Ever since the kingdom's discovery of her powers and the end of the eternal winter, Elsa had always put forth the well-being of her people first. Yet, the princess could not keep watching idly, as her sister in major distress. Her thoughts betrayed her, and for once, asked for advice.

"What should I do Olaf?" She turned to her snowman friend. "I feel so helpless."

"If you feel helpless, you should at least try and see if you can do anything first."

"That's the thing, I don't know how or in what way I could assist. Oh why couldn't I have powers too, like my sister does?" Anna placed both hands on her head.

"But you have courage. That's just as great of a power," Olaf pointed out insightfully, surprising for his usual character.

In the corner of her eye, she saw an average sized group of men hiking down the slope. They were far enough away to appear as a blur. The men did not look like soldiers, from what Anna could infer. Instead their dress looked vaguely familiar. Almost as if…

"Who are they?" Olaf pointed.

Anna shushed him and added, "We don't know if they're friendly."

Sven grunted, somewhat curious, yet suspiciously.

"Yeah it might be a good idea to follow them, but stay our distance. At least until we can figure out who they are, and why they're going towards Aldyn. Anyone in their right mind would be running away."

Sven chuckled as best as a reindeer could, directing a glance Anna.

"No, I'm not insane for wanting to rescue my sister from that storm," Anna replied, not humored. "Seriously you are almost as bad as Kristoff."

From tree to tree, the trio hid far enough behind the group for them not to notice. But they were in earshot of the grumbling voices and their bickering.

"So you're telling us down there is where the captain's at?" One of the men said.

"Assumedly. They did capture and arrest him after all. Rumor has it, the execution is in the next couple days," Another responded. He was bulkier than the rest, definitely the tank of the crew.

A smaller man in stature squeaked, "And how exactly are we supposed to get through that?" He tilted his head sideways, towards the storm which encircled the castle, and continued to encompass Aldyn.

"We'll find a way, like we always do."

"And we'll risk our lives if we have to."

"Our crew sticks together!"

"Yeah!" Every man punched a fist in the air.

An idea popped into Anna's mind. It was genius to her, crazy to anyone else. She turned to Sven and then Olaf to see if they shared a similar idea. Both of her friends returned her glance with clueless expressions. They were clearly not on the same page, and could not read minds. The Arendelle princess sighed. It was a risk, but Anna did not know how else to help her older sister. With shoulders back, a not so convincing tough-guy expression on her face, and taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the shadows, revealing her existence.

"Excuse me-," Anna said, alarmed at her higher pitched voice, and pretended to cough before deepening it. "Excuse me, but I think I have a way of getting past that," she reflected the man's previous tilt of the head, indicating the storm.

There must have been fifteen to twenty some of them, who turned around simultaneously in a slow motion, and all staring at her with unfriendly eyes. Maybe she had acted too boldly.

"Where did you come from?" A grisly man with a deep voice said, unwavering his position. His stance showed a mix of aggressiveness, yet defensiveness, by leaning in and crossing his arms.

The princess twitched only slightly, but was determined to stay in character. She was a convincing actress, so she believed. The man's gesture communicated there was a greater possibility he would listen.

"I know who- I mean what's behind that storm. Help me get closer to it, and I'll assist you in finding your captain." She kept it short and sweet, laying all her cards on the table. Honestly, Anna did not know if she could actually help them. But if she could break through to Elsa, maybe she would have some knowledge on where to find their leader.

"How do we know we can trust you," the man spoke in a statement rather than a question. "We don't know who you are or where you're from. For all we know, you could be spying on us, which it sounds like you have already. Your only companions are a dirty reindeer and a walking snowman. Aside from all that, you're by yourself." His eyebrows raised up at a spark realization. "Wait a second. I think I know who you are."

Anna gulped. This is bad. Yet, she stood her ground, and would say anything to keep herself and her two companions safe.

"You're a young witch, probably a hermit or something traveling these parts, aren't you? Your clothes are definitely not from around here. It also explains why you're by yourself, and with that freak snowman."

"Hey, that really hurt my feelings," Olaf butted in. He genuinely appeared hurt.

On impulse, Anna said, "I could show you an even larger, not as nice freak snowman. If you don't apologize to him and consider my proposition that is." Her brows creased, and raised her hands in a similar way Elsa did. She took a risk by walking a few steps closer. Relieved they had listened to her this far, there was no way she could break her tough demeanor.

"Okay. If you can help us, we will help you. You help us find the captain, we get you through that icy burden. Do we have a deal?" He stuck out a hand. All eyes were on the two figures facing each other, now just a few feet apart.

Anna, now having to act as a "witch," took his hand and shook it. Hopefully they would not see past her cover. "Deal."


	18. Chapter 18 - The Firebird

The former advisor could be viewed, like a rat in a cage, sitting on a bench in one Arendelle castle's jail cells. It had been a few days since the incident, where Kai attempted to assassinate the ice harvester. Ever since he spoke those vague last words to the blond man, a stroke of curiosity overcame Kristoff. He could not sleep, because his vacant hours were filled contemplating the meaning of them. If he was going to get any rest, Kristoff would just have to suck it up, and ask Kai.

The dungeon overlooked the fjord, with a small window in each cell, about a foot in both length and width. Some of the cells were better furnished than others, like the one Kai was thrown in. On the seat which he slept, there were sheets, a pillow, and a worn, thin mat for support. Queen Elsa made sure that prisoners, no matter what their crime was, were still treated humanely. Kristoff definitely respected that about Anna's older sister. Elsa personally made sure the guards and soldiers put that rule into effect. If the prison guards' positions were abused, there was serious punishment. Fortunately, it was not a common occurrence.

In front of Kai's cell was a sentry, who looked no older than Kristoff. Maybe even a tad younger. He was a thin and lanky man in size, and looked nervous to see the ice harvester there.

"Do you mind if I have a quick word with the man in that cell?" Kristoff asked the guard.

"Um, you're Kristoff right? I'm a bit new here, so I'm just getting used to the rules of this position." He skittishly moved around, playing with his spear in hand. "From what I've been told, I'm not allowed to let people inside, unless they have a note from the captain. But since you're betrothed to the princess, I don't see why not. Just… please don't tell my boss. I could get in serious trouble. If he found out-"

"No worries, I don't plan on telling anyone if you're not. I will only take a minute or two anyway."

The young man reached in his pocket, and grabbed a key. Before he put it in the lock, he turned to Kristoff. "I heard a rumor about what this man tried to do to you, and I'm curious why he would do such a thing." But before Kristoff could speak, the guard quickly corrected himself, "I apologize, I shouldn't even have asked anything!"

"No it's okay, you're doing fine, so don't worry about anything. Actually that's why I'm here, to maybe find some answers for myself."

"T-thanks Sir Bjorgman," the young man twisted the key and opened the door. "You have five minutes."

Kristoff walked into the narrow room, and the door was shut behind for him. Inside towards the far right corner, sat Kai, chained at the wrists and looking down at his feet. He looked up for a brief second to examine Kristoff, before turning his head down again. "What do you want?" The sentence came out as a statement than a question.

"What you said to me back in that office, I want to know more."

"Aren't you direct? I'm sure it doesn't make a difference if you know or not," Kai sighed to himself. "You know, you really aren't fit to marry Arendelle's princess. We both know that the Queen has been gone far too long without any word. Some of the castle workers are starting to question her qualifications to rule Arendelle, especially after the whole coronation incident. They say that it was a bad omen when she was crowned, that the eternal winter which impacted the kingdom was a premonition of what is yet to come.

"Interesting," he said sarcastically. "I don't believe that's true," Kristoff folded his arms across his chest. Did he really believe his own words?

"To be clear, I don't care that you do. This isn't about what you are perceiving, this is about what people in the kingdom are saying. Let me continue," Kai cleared his dry throat. "Tell me, what do you know about the Kingdom of Aldyn?"

"They are to the east of Arendelle, and are located if I remember correctly, next to a long mountain range. Winters get pretty bad there sometimes. I also know Queen Elsa allowed the princess of Aldyn to stay here in the castle, before they disappeared."

"Is that really all your knowledge on Aldyn? Let me enlighten your thick skull then. Aldyn planned to attack before, and plans to attack again."

Kristoff was silent. If this was true, which he was still skeptical, how come he had not heard about this?

"When did they try to previously?"

"Right after the ball, when the king and queen requested to Queen Elsa to house the princess. She is not any normal girl, like Elsa, she has powers too. There is a prophecy surrounding her, that she will destroy Aldyn with these powers. Out of fear for their own country, they planted her like a mine, somewhere far away. They picked Arendelle, because of our wealth and prime location. She was their first undercover attack."

"And why would they try to attack Arendelle in that way?" Kristoff was suspicious.

"They believed that it could all be blamed on the queen's powers, if the princess did anything to Arendelle. It would be easy to cover up and leave Arendelle exposed, which is not the best condition to be in."

Kristoff knew he did not have much time left to converse with Kai. Instead of prodding in the past, he needed more answers about the present.

"What is Aldyn planning now?"

"The prince of Aldyn, is conspiring with a neighboring kingdom to take Arendelle directly by force. They see Arendelle as one of the most powerful opponents who could stand in their way. Prince Anton is hell-bent for power, believes he is some sort of prodigy, and wishes to start a new age. The king and queen are out of the picture, and word has it they never returned to Aldyn. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the prince's doing, since they would be a huge obstruction to his plans."

"Where are you getting this information, and why did you try to kill me in the office?"

"Well aren't you full of questions?" Kai said with a monotone voice. "If you must know, carrier pigeons are a very effective way of communicating back and forth. We have intel working in secret in Aldyn's castle. I thought I didn't have to repeat myself. But as I said before, you are unqualified to rule, along with Princess Anna and Queen Elsa. It's a shame the previous king and queen did not have another, more suitable heir to the throne. You asking this many questions is precisely why you are unfit. You have no idea what is happening in your own kingdom, along with the rest of them! As the queen's advisor and indirect descendant from the royal bloodline, I would be second in line if the current royal family were absent or eradicated."

"You're delusional." Kristoff headed for the door. _Wait a second… _

"You said second in line."

Kai shook his head more times than a normal person. "When did I say that?"

"Just now," Kristoff got closer to him. "So tell me, who's the next in line? If you don't want your punishment and prison time to be increased, I'd suggest telling me now."

"_You_ don't have the authority to do that."

"But Anna and Elsa do. And I know that if they were aware of the things being said here, they would suggest the same. Let me tell you, they won't take this lightly."

"What I say is the truth, and I want what is best for Arendelle."

"That's not how things are looking right now," Kristoff lowered his voice. He could see the man sweating on his forehead. "Think carefully."

"Fine. I'll tell you."

The ice harvester was surprised by how fast he got to Kai. "So what's the name?"

The former advisor hesitated. Before Arendelle's king passed away, his sister had a child before she passed away as well."

"_Names_, please," Kristoff hated resorting to violence, even if it was pretending, but he was running out of time and patience. He raised a fist, the target being Kai's face.

Kai whispered a name.

Shocked, Kristoff said much softer, "What?" He could hear the man, but wanted to see if it was correct.

The prisoner said it again.

A knock on the door. The young guard peeked his head in. "Sir, you may want to leave now," he hinted at Kristoff, looking nervous.

Kristoff paused, before continuing out the door. He thanked the young guard, and walked with heavy thoughts up the stairs to the main floor of the castle. What the previous advisor had said took a toll on him personally, even though he usually did not let words get to him. He looked out a tall window, stretching to the ceiling. It was raining hard outside.

_What Kai said couldn't be true. There's hardly any evidence of anyone else's involvement. And there's no way he could've gathered that much information from just carrier pigeons. _

"Sir, we have just intercepted two messages that you might want to read!" Two guards ran up to Kristoff, the first had a small note in hand. The second carried an ice slab, which kept sticking to his fingers.

"The letter was attached to this disgusting thing!" The second guard exclaimed. He raised up what had to be in his hand a shot pigeon, with its head wringed.

"The other bird flew off before we could capture it. It looked like maybe the queen's magic to me."

"Here," the guard's arm shot out, thrusting the messages into Kristoff's hands.

Kristoff read the slab of ice first, since he was eager to examine the carvings.

_To Castle Arendelle,_

_You have no need to be worried, I am alive and well. Princess Anna, along with the company who accompanied her, made it safely..._

The message sounded hopeful. But mostly Kristoff was relieved that everyone was safe. The blond man unraveled the second, tied with a string. It was short, but to the point.

_Aldyn has joined forces with Frelliya. The crown prince Anton has captured his sister the princess, and has ordered her execution. From strong rumors, they have suspected the Queen of Arendelle was traveling with Princess Tanya, and is on her way to Aldyn as we speak. They plan on sending troops to take Arendelle within the next week. Be prepared._

The note was left at that. Kristoff knew he had to make a decision. It was something he did not want to do, but in this circumstance, there was not much of a choice.

"Forward this on to the captain, and let the general know. Both Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are not here right now, so we need to protect this kingdom all the more. Send a first wave of troops to the Eastern and Southern borders. Station another wave at the farther most towns in the kingdom, and increase security here in the city. I will meet with both the captain and the general to talk about this further, they probably have more insight than I on specifics." Kristoff realized those last words could have translated as unconfident. If he was honest, he did not know exactly what to do. He was just doing the best he could do, which was something.

_Kai was right, of course he tried to murder me, but his information was correct. But what if this is all a trap, and someone else is in fact behind this? _It was certainly a possibility. But then again, Kristoff could not see how upping security around the border and kingdom could be a negative thing. He would talk to the general and captain, to see what their decision would be.

He thought about spilling the details with them about his meeting with Kai. Although, that could result badly. After all, Kristoff did not have the authorization to talk to Kai when he did. A new guard was just nice enough to let him have a few words. And he had promised the young man he would not mention it.

A brooding thought pressed his mind again. _Anna…_ Kristoff missed the love of his life dearly, and protect their home with everything he had. He missed Sven especially, Olaf, and Elsa, all who had become his family. He would be stronger for them.

He entered the library in order to do more research. As the old decorated doors were carefully shut, Kristoff was about to discover the truth. 

* * *

><p>"Tanya!"<p>

It came out of the queen's mouth in a silent scream. The air was too thick and the wind too strong around them to yell any louder.

"You can do this, you can suppress this!" She still held the princess in her arms, frantically trying to snap her out of her crumbling condition. No matter what the Queen said, she was not prepared for what was going to happen next.

"I can't!" Tanya groaned in agony. Her skin was almost entirely burnt off, and the remaining flames were morphing shape. Elsa could not hold her without her dress catching flame, and set the girl down on the concrete. Tanya's ash hair was consumed by fire and light.

"No I won't let you go!"

"Save yourself, I don't want to hurt you-aghhh!" The fire princess gurgled out a lava-like substance, which spilled from her mouth. Elsa jumped back just inches, where it made a pothole in the courtyard.

Screaming in excruciating pain, Tanya was too weak to stand or even sit up. Her body no longer held a human form, and appeared as a growing mound of fire. She supported the weight on all fours. A slightly darker silhouette within the fire became evident, and luminous with every second.

She could not bear to see Tanya in any more anguish. Sending a wintery blast which collided with the blaze, the queen was dismayed to see it had barely any effect. It knocked her over, but did not phase the girl. If Elsa could not prevent the princess from her fate, she and the rest of Aldyn would be very unfortunate. She would try all she could to stop whatever was emerging, but even she was doubtful.

"Tanya!" Elsa cried as strong as her vocal cords could allow, hoping to break the younger girl out of her trance. Nothing was working.

Feeling the Aldyn and Frelliyan soldiers beat against her magical storm from the outside, their strength served no match compared to Elsa's, in the frantic she was in. It was a feeling of both fear, yet determination which encouraged her to keep fighting. How was she ever going to get out of this one? Maybe she would not.

A pillar grew out of the mound, high in the sky, and it cut through the blizzard Elsa created. The burst was so great, it sent a shock wave, knocking everyone over except the ice queen. Tanya's shadow began to glow and rise to the top. The form became so bright, Elsa had to shield her eyes with her remaining hand. The other kept rotating the broken maelstrom.

A blast of light shot across the sky from the center point, like a ring, or how still water ripples when an object is dropped. Giant wings, at least twice the size of Elsa, stretched out from both sides of the form. Long tail feathers extended from the bottom, curling, and sharp like arrowheads. Elsa withdrew her magic. She would have to salvage all her energy. The soldiers were no longer batting against the storm like flies on a window, but were fixed on the shining object above.

Elsa could now look to see what the princess had become. Though terrified at the thought of Tanya being no more, she bravely looked at the figure. Magnificently flapping its wings in a controlled motion, pushing the hot air downward. Elsa's long braid blew back. It was a giant bird. The colors of its plumage consisted yellows, oranges, and blues. Its eyes, talons, and beak were an unearthly hue of red. The neck was as long as its torso.

_Is that the firebird?!_

There was no time for her to respond, because the firebird blasted away the violent storm, spreading fires across the city.

With sweeping gestures, Elsa sent large snow piles flying over the city. They melted in an instant, and turned into rain. It did not do much to prevent the fires entirely, but it did hinder the flames from growing. If the soldiers were worth anything, they would join forces to evacuate the citizens now.

"Firebird! Can you hear me?" Elsa had no idea how to address the entity, but she had to say something. Maybe if they talked, she could reason with it, and they could arrive at a compromise.

"Yes Queen Elsa, I can hear you loud and clear," its voice rang deep and full.

"You must stop this destruction, before more innocent people get hurt!"

"That is not possible. The people are certainly not innocent. Aldyn's royal family as well as their people have broken a covenant with me. They swore to protect me, in return that I may be their guardian. I have continually blessed the land through the ages, but instead they hunted me down for game, renouncing their vow. What once was a humble kingdom, has turned into a power-hungry city of greed and pride. Those inhabitants who now sit on the throne know nothing about humility. For all this, they must be punished."

"Not everyone here is corrupt and deserves punishment."

"Though you mean well, you should not bargain with me now. It is too late, and I will not suspend my decision, one that I have made hundreds of years ago."

"So be it. With the abilities I was blessed with, I will do everything I can to protect the innocent."

"The innocent do not exist!" The firebird's response was a giant orb ablaze, crashing towards her. She narrowly escaped the assault by leaping out of the way. Elsa would not run away from this. She would fight back. For those she loved. For Tanya.

Punching her fists into the air one at a time, she hurled two giant shards of ice at jet speed. With a whisk of her arm she shot a round of smaller shards, hoping the second wave would hit its target. Their target being the firebird.

Both masses missed easily, as the bird zipped past. A couple of the smaller shards managed to slice through the large bird's wings, and it raised its neck, giving a loud shriek. But it would take much more than a few cuts to stop it.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle, stay out of Aldyn's affairs," the Firebird's voice boomed. Though expressionless, she could tell it was aggravated.

"You forget, whatever involves Tanya involves me!" A brilliance of ice and snow was sent forcefully at the creature. Because of the bird's enormity, it had more difficulty dodging the queen's attack. It circled around in the sky, blasting back equally great torrents of fire to combat Elsa.

Both opposing streams hit each other with identical force, and created an explosion above the city, in the middle of the sky. Elsa made an ice cover above her head, to block the impact's debris from hitting her.

"Please, stop! Withdraw your wrath!" Elsa knew no matter how much she pleaded, her words would not convince the firebird. It said its piece. It had made its decision to destroy the kingdom. Nevertheless, she would not stop trying. Never.

The firebird glowed even brighter, and appeared as if it was absorbing the surrounding light. It soared higher into the sky into the clouds, which quickly burned out around the bird, cutting a whole and revealing the sun. No trumpet could ever have announced the bird's supremacy, compared to its own grandiose nature. What kind of power was this?

"Aldyn shall be engulfed in flames," its thundering voice pronounced, echoing across the city. Elsa shuddered. Each gust of its wings and movement it made, rained fire down on Aldyn. The remaining soldiers and citizens scrambled away, shouting from afar. Neither Aldyn nor Frelliya cared to capture the queen. Instead they abandoned their orders and fled for the hills, to save their own skins.

The powers she possessed held the capacity to block and reflect the firebirds heated blasts. But it was only a matter of time where she would have to change her tactics. Otherwise her stamina would exhaust at a faster rate.

In a similar fashion comparable to the ice palace on the Northern Mountain, she planted her right foot into the ground. Obeying her command, the floor around her turned to ice, and created a shield like an igloo. It kept growing into a large dome, until it encompassed the courtyard and the city. A thick layer of ice spread through the ground, across the entire perimeter the barrier sheltered. Clenching fists, Elsa bit her lip while she did her best to keep the blazing entity from melting the dome. The opposite energy reverberated through every muscle and bone in her body. Its fury was great. The queen's arms started to quiver uncontrollably. It was strong. Too strong.

_But I will be stronger. For Tanya. _

"Well, well, so far it looks like an even match."

The voice was unfamiliar to Elsa, and one she did not recognize.

To her right, two men stood casually facing her, hands on the hilts of their swords. They did not look the least bit worried about the chaotic situation. The first man was much older than Elsa, with a stark face, bald head, and piercing eyes. He dressed slightly different than his counterpart next to him, and wore red and purple. The one who spoke, the younger of the two men, was in a similar garb as Elsa, except it was embezzled in gold and purple. Though he had dark brown, almost black hair, she recognized his eyes. They were almost identical to Tanya's, except they carried a different baggage. They both sported jeweled rapiers on their belts, and definitely of nobility.

"You're putting up a wonderful fight against my poor sister. Too bad it will have to end, this has been quite the show though," his laugh sounded both menacing with a hint of insane.

"You're Anton?!" The words came out of Elsa's mouth as half a yell and a growl. "What are you doing here?!"

"We're putting an end to this prophecy once and for all, so Aldyn will finally become the empire it was destined to be. Granted, we did not calculate the timing of events, nor that the firebird would exhibit this much devastation to the kingdom."

"However," spoke the older noble, "This incident has turned to our interest in the end. To the advantage of both Frelliya," he glanced at Prince Anton as he said the next words, "and Aldyn."

"Pardon my interruption, but if you want to end anything, help me fight this thing!"

Anton took a few steps closer. "The fact that you're here is a pleasant surprise. A gift really, from the universe to me. By cutting you down, Arendelle will be exposed and desperate for a new monarch. After today, we will take Arendelle, and rebuild it into a kingdom greater than your wildest dreams."

"Actually were planning to take Arendelle soon either way, after _the girl_ was planted there," the other monarch spoke. "But it looks now like we're fortunate to act on an earlier schedule."

Elsa's heartbeat was racing. There was no way she could take on both nobles and the firebird all at once. She would exert too much power, and already the queen was fading. If she wanted to save herself, she would need to act now.

Holding the magical ice dome together with one grip, she used her other hand to send particles at every angle towards the men. Even the slightest contact with the ice would freeze over any object instantly. The men quickly unsheathed their swords, and cut through the shards without a single scrape. Elsa unearthed ice thorns from the ground below, striking almost the same height as them. However they kept eluding her magic, despite its pinpoint accuracy, and fared to be a step quicker.

Elsa could not fend both of the men off, in the same way she could if she directed her full potential at them. By each step they were coming closer, fighting off the blocks and barricades she was creating. She would have to make a decision to take care of them, or focus on shutting out the firebird in its fury.

_Tanya please, I'm doing everything I can. I'm sorry._

The ice queen collapsed the barrier and the entire dome slammed to the ground, crushing Anton and the other Monarch. Slabs of ice poured all over the city, crushing rooftops and barricading streets. On contact, the ice burst and instantly froze both of them, just as they were steps away and raising their swords. Looking upwards, she could see a large stream of pure light heading straight toward her. Elsa's eyes reflected the white. With one last effort, she used every bit of vigor she had to stop the surge. A foreign feeling overcame Elsa, as she called forth this last magnitude of winter. She was willing to sacrifice everything, even herself, if it meant saving Tanya's life. Blood rushing through her veins, the familiar blue cold in her hands disappeared. Replaced, was a numbing black. Directing her eyes and palms at the radiance, she surrendered to the magnificence of her powers. The ice queen let it all go, giving herself up in the process.

Everything turned bright, and then, like the ice she liberated, pitch black.

* * *

><p>"Elsa, my Elsa…"<p>

Startled by the soothing voice which interrupted her slumber, she woke up. The queen was no longer in the Aldyn courtyard, but in some strange void of space. Realizing she was already standing, she had no concept of how, considering a floor was absent beneath her feet. A figure she knew too well echoed in front of her, staring at her lovingly yet forlornly.

"Tanya!"

Rejecting all notions of keeping her cool, Elsa raced towards the princess. Reaching to embrace the girl, to her dismay Elsa's arms went right through the teal eyed girl's body. Was this all an illusion, or worse, was she dead?

"Wha-what is this?"

"I'm so sorry Elsa, for all this trouble I brought you in."

"Don't say things like that. I care about you. You know that, don't you?" She hardly noticed the tears running down her cheeks, dusted with delicate freckles.

"The prophecy cannot be stopped. I am currently living inside it, and you have drained the last of your being. I can understand what it's capable of, I feel its unrelenting anger. And it's transformed into more than you or I can take on."

"No, I can fight it. I can be strong, for you!"

Tanya placed a hand on the distressed queen's shoulder. "You have to listen to me Elsa. Promise you will?"

Elsa could only nod, and barely. She was at the emotional and physical limits where she could lose it, based on any words said to her. Tanya did not seem entirely like herself. The princess presented a much cooler aura than usual. Thankfully, one of them had it somewhat together, and that was an overstatement.

"Neither the firebird nor I can both live together after this. Though I had no idea how it would unravel, I still felt that this was to come eventually. Once the firebird destroys the kingdom, it will return to ashes and rebirth from them. I however, will remain along the cinders, and not be granted the same fate."

Tears like a river now flowed out of the queen's radiant blue eyes, and down her face. They were salty to the taste. The girl she treasured, was going to depart in flames. No, she could not let that happen.

"What can I do, to save you? I will do anything."

Tanya hesitated, in sad thought. Her face looked grave.

"Is there anything? Anything!"

"There is a possibility to split both me and the firebird into two separate beings. But in order for that to happen, I would need to absorb a large enough amount of power. There I could fight it from within, in order to break off. When the firebird took physical form, it drained me of my fire abilities. I still harbor them, but they are much weaker than before." Tanya displayed a weak spark from her fingertip, giving an example.

"Then take my powers. Are you able to do that? Will it work?"

"I don't know if I know how to do that, and I can't say for sure. But Elsa… are you sure? It could cost you your life. And who even knows if any of us are going to make it out of this mess?"

Elsa moved her face just inches away from Tanya's, with unwavering eye contact. It was just her and Tanya, nothing else. If she could be together with the princess in her last moments, it was all worth it. With a gentle whisper of the lips, left the words, "I'm ready."

The Aldyn princess held Elsa's hands, and intertwined fingers. Instead of passing through her body like before, Elsa could suddenly feel her electric touch. Before she knew how it was happening, their bodies started to glow, and a warm sensation flowed through her skin. Never in her whole life had Elsa felt this warm. She watched as this small, shining dot of energy travelled, starting from her soul. It moved over her shoulders, down her arms, and into Tanya's hands. Their figures illuminated their outlines. The light moved across and up the princess' arms into her soul. Once it died out, both girls gasped for breath. Everything became frigid cold, colder than she would have liked, and goosebumps trailed down Elsa's fair skin.

"I will do everything I can, Elsa." Tanya embraced the queen, wrapping her light arms around to keep her body warm. Their foreheads were pressed against each other, and Tanya stroked her cheek. Like a breeze in Elsa's ear, Tanya whispered, "for the both of us."

Elsa felt herself fading away like before, into nothingness. Everything grew distant, farther away, until the familiar black returned.


	19. Chapter 19 - Death and Birth

Her eyes snapped wide open, and woke up gasping. The queen lay on the ground, sprawled on her side, with her arms reaching out. Straining to sit up, she made her aching arms support her weight. The previously white uniform she wore was stained by dirt and coal, with chunks of fabric charred off. An almost completely melted wall of ice encircled the queen. The air was so hot and thick, that she could see the vapor rise from the ice which blanketed Aldyn. The sun hung lurid in the sky. What happened to her? How long had she been out?

It could not have been for a long duration of time. Coals from the embers still scattered around the city every which way she looked, glowing orange. The sky was dark from the black smoke which clouded the heavens. Yet light from the destruction still reflected and refracted off the clouds, distorting the time of day and giving the kingdom a warm afterglow.

There was no sign of the firebird. Instead surrounded in a pile of grey ashes, was Tanya, back in her human form. She lay face down, face buried and not moving, at least from what it appeared from afar.

Elsa shakily stood up and scrambled over to the collapsed princess, tripping over her steps. Kneeling before her, she supported up the girl with her battered arms. With her right hand, she cupped Tanya's cheek and traced her thumb over her chapped lips. Tanya's eyes cracked open in slivers at the soft touch.

"You did it," she gave a gentle, tired smile.

"We both did, together."

Tanya clasped the blonde's hand on her cheek with her own, and held it out palm up. "Your powers…"

_That's right, my powers… _Elsa tried to make something as small as a few snowflakes, but to no avail, nothing happened. No glow, no cold, no nothing. _They're gone. _

A part of her whole identity had vanished, gone in a flash. Just like that. Elsa felt weak, inadequate, and terribly confused. But she was not alone.

"What about yours?" Elsa reacted, concerned.

The Aldyn princess moved her hand from Elsa's, and her forehead scrunched up in concentration. The attempt to focus her powers from within concluded futile, and produced a deep exhale. "Nothing." She placed her palm back into Elsa's, with the queen's thumb over the back of her hand. "Aldyn… the citizens are…"

"Safe."

Elsa smiled despite knowing that Tanya was in critical condition. Bruises and burns trailed up the princess' body, creating a color palette of pales, reds, and blacks. Her face was okay, except for the long wide cut on her cheek, which would certainly scar up. There was no denying Tanya looked awful. The queen suddenly felt dreadfully guilty. How could her body have stayed so intact, when the princess in front of her was falling apart? Why did she have to be the one that turned out alright? It was not fair, though it was out of Elsa's control. None of this was. Though painful to look at the ash haired girl, the queen could not help gazing into her still bright eyes all the same. No matter what she looked like, she was still captivating. Is that not what love does to one after all?

Tanya coughed, and dust flew off her lips, revealing cracks of pink. "You don't have to act strong for me now Elsa. It's all over, you can let go now."

That was all Elsa needed to hear. At the sound of those words, the queen released a quiet sob, clutching the girl closer. She could feel Tanya's shallow breath on her neck, as she brushed one hand through the smooth hair.

"You always act so strong and put together around me," Tanya paused to cough, and spots of dark blood flew out. "But it's okay to let the chains off once in a while." It was clearly supposed to be a joke, a feeble one at that. But Elsa was not in the disposition to be humored.

"Like I'm your prisoner, everything I do is my choice."

"It was a joke," Tanya smiled, barely. "You can be so serious," the girl stroked the blonde's rosy cheek.

"I'm only being serious because I care."

"I know," there was serenity in her voice.

"Once everything is in order in Aldyn, you can come back to Arendelle with me. I'll introduce you to Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf, my family. Oh it will be so much fun, we will go on sleigh rides in the winter, and have picnics in the summer." Elsa knew she sounded identical to her sister when she rambled. "We can take walks through the rose garden, which always smells so fragrant. On rainy days, I can even teach you how to play piano, remember? There are so many things we have to do toge-"

"Elsa."

Just the sound of her name brought the queen back to reality.

"That sounds… nice. I'd like that."

"It will be so wonderful, especially with you there. We're going to create so many memories and go on adventures..."

"Be brave for me."

"What are you saying?" Tear drops from Elsa's eyes spattered on the concreate.

"We already had so many memories together, ones that I hold dear in my heart. I'll never forget them." She looked radiant, saying her words without missing a beat. "You're more than a friend to me."

"No, please stay with me. Please…" The queen could not even say Tanya's name. "I promised to save you."

"You already have."

Elsa did not know how to respond.

"I need to tell you something," Tanya's words were breaking.

"I'll always be here when you do."

"What I've wanted to say for a while is that I-" But with closed eyes, she went silent, without finishing her sentence.

_No._

_NO._

"No," it was the only word which passed through Elsa's head. The word of refusal. Zombie-like, she set Tanya's still body down, and curled up with both arms covering her head.

There was only one other time in her life, where she had wept as furiously, to isolated to hear the footsteps behind her.

"You."

It was Aldyn's royal prince, somehow released from his glacial imprisonment.

Elsa's entire world was cutting in and out, in stop motion. How did he manage to escape?

"Because of you, the whole city is in flames! Frelliya and I had this under control, and could have vanquished the firebird, as was the plan. But _you _had to barge in ruin everything!"

"I ruined everything..?" She stoically said. Prince Anton kept on yelling, spewing venom. But as if in a trance, Elsa did not catch any of his words. It was until he grasped the hilt of his rapier, when she became responsive.

"Now that Frelliya's king has expired by your hand, I will just have to take care of matters myself!" With a flash of silver, Anton sliced through the air. Elsa moved out of the way in the nick of time, dodging his blade with precision. It was just the two of them in the abandoned courtyard. There was nothing she could protect herself with as a shield, though she did manage to equip a sword to her uniform. She unsheathed the blade, unconfidently. Never was she trained before in the art of the sword.

"Stop moving and succumb before me! Why do you choose not to use your despicable powers?"

Blocking a strong swing, she stumbled and regained her wide stance. Each blow seemed to make contact like a brick to the face. He was far too skilled, and surpassed her knowledge of the blade by a mile. There was no way she stood any chance.

A fast movement by Anton's hand, made her light sword fly away to the side, clanging to the ground. Elsa lost balance and fell backwards, with wide eyes.

"This is it, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. You will hinder me no longer in my quest for domination!"

Elsa stuck her hands out in retaliation, a habit she picked up when utilizing her previous powers as a defense mechanism. She prayed that in this moment they would come back to her.

Like a strike of lightning, a cold blast was sent through the air, blowing her back. Immediately looking at her hands with palms turned around, she did not understand. She did not summon the ice.

Fusing into Anton, piercing his stomach with its sharp beak, was the ice sparrow she had created with Tanya along the bluff.

The prince let out a gurgle, "You can't win this Queen of Arendelle, I won't allow you to." But the fusing beings grew brighter as the ice bird entered his form. Unable to withstand its magical properties, Anton turned into an ice sculpture, and was no more. Rather than calling forth her powers, they were used by an indirect method and purpose. The sculpture's form caught every detail and wrinkle, engraved forever in ice. As soon as the ice completely froze, it cracked on its own and shattered in pieces. There was no way he would be able to turn back.

Elsa did not want him to die, but at that point it could no longer be reversed. There were many questions she would have interrogated him with, but those answers ceased to exist now.

"Oh Elsa, I'm so glad you're alive!"

A new voice, coming from behind them. Standing next to the mangy reindeer and magical snowman was her sister Anna. What was she doing here?

The redhead frantically ran over and wrapped her freckled arms around her older sister. Sven and Olaf followed suit.

"Man, you should have seen what happened! You were awesome! The firebird sent this huge bright beam of fire, and you reflected it, casting it back with your powers. You sent up this pitch black blast of ice, which totally tore apart its magic, and blew up in its face. It was one of the coolest things I've never seen you do before!"

Elsa looked down at the palm of her right hand.

"It hit him directly, and sent him flying down like a meteor. Once it hit the ground, it exploded in black cloud, raining ash everywhere! You don't know how relieved I am that your powers shielded you from the surge. I thought, for surely I was going to lose you." There was terror in Anna's eyes. Though doing best to mask the fact she was scared for her life, Elsa could easily see past it. It was just like Anna to focus on the good aspects. Not only had she lost Tanya, she almost lost her sister and friends as well.

"Why didn't you turn back at the mountains?" the queen asked sternly.

"I couldn't just watch you suffer down there, you should have seen it from where we were. It was awful!"

"But you risked your life and your kingdom."

"But so did you," Anna pointed out, which was true. Elsa had risked her life, and come very close to dying. Part of her was ashamed to be still alive, and wished the firebird had claimed her as well.

"Only because I… made a promise," looking over towards Tanya's body, Anna copied her sister. With a look of astonishment, Anna remembered the reason why Elsa was there in the first place.

"Is she..?"

Elsa did not answer. She did not want to. Wanting to disappear, she placed both palms on the floor. Forever she would be trapped in this moment.

"Everyone is evacuated now," a random male voice interrupted the moment. They were the last people Elsa wanted to see.

"Hey," Anna placed a hand on the queen's shoulder. "I had help from these men. We successfully got everyone out in time, before the city burned down." She saw Elsa furrow her eyebrows, and she added, "They're not bad people."

"They were the men who kidnapped me and Tanya. That's why we were missing so long in the first place," Elsa said emotionlessly.

"Wait, what? Are you _serious_!?"

"Hey, we were only doing what we were told to do!" One of the pirates butted in.

"Yeah! It was our job, nothing personal," another pirate spoke, holding up both hands, as if indicating his hands were clean. "The prince promised to pay us a large fortune. Now that he's gone and can't pay up, the contract is cancelled."

"And because we failed our job, and let the prisoners escape. Our captain was captured by Aldyn and thrown in prison. We came all this this way to save him, but for nothing. There was no way he could have survived _that_ blast. The city and castle sure did not."

"That's no reason to go kidnapping people!" Anna was enraged like a firecracker, ready to blow up.

Even if they assisted with emptying the city, it did not award them with any excuse. However, Elsa was no better. Her own actions had sunk their ship, accidently killing members of their crew. Not only that, but she could not even save the girl she loved. Now with Aldyn's collapse, probably many more by her hand. She did not know if she could ever forgive the pirate crew, but it would be hypocritical if she claimed them as evil people. Knowing all too well her own dirt, she was in no condition to judge them.

"Let them go Anna."

"But, it's not okay what they did to you and Tanya!"

"Please, I don't want to think about them again."

Anna looked down at Olaf, and then looked at Sven. They were watching her, waiting for her reply. Anna sighed. "Okay fine, I suppose you should have the final call," she grumbled, still not pleased. The pirates looked at each other and simply walked off. After what they had witnessed, there was no way they would think of trying anything funny behind their backs. Despite that Elsa's powers were no more, they had no clue. Elsa did not care about which way they went, as long as it was nowhere near her, or her friends.

Sven nudged the two girls with his nuzzle, breaking them apart. Could Elsa not just retreat within herself, without someone demanding her attention? Already she had lost so much.

"What's happening? Why has your flurry disappeared?" Anna exclaimed loudly, hands falling on Olaf's shoulders. The snowman was starting to melt.

"Um, I don't know?" he said worried. "Hey Elsa, think you could give me a hand?"

"My powers are gone," she revealed. The other three gasped. "It makes sense, really. Even when I wasn't using them, they still functioned like a life support, keeping him alive."

"So what you're saying is going to melt," Olaf finished.

"That's what you think. I'm not going to let you to melt," Anna folded her arms around her friend.

"It's alright Anna. I will never be truly gone, as long as you love each other, and remember the fun we had."

There was nothing more for Anna to hold. Within seconds due to Anna's body heat and the surrounding hot hair, Olaf melted into a large puddle. The water that used to be Olaf evaporated visibly, almost ghost-like into the air. There were tears in both sisters' eyes. Sven even let a few tears go, and he never cried.

Elsa couldn't tell if it was the tears clouding her vision, or if there was in fact a twinkling light growing closer. Examining the sky closer, she could see it was on fire.

_The firebird?_

It was not. Instead of a booming voice, the object let out a soft chirping noise. It was Tanya's bird she had made with her powers. How was it still alive, if Tanya was not? After all, her… dear friend melted when her ice powers vanished. A thought occurred to the queen.

Moving back over to the princess, she pressed two fingers between Tanya's neck and jawline. She jumped when she felt a beat from the body.

_Tanya's still alive!_

Everything came together for Elsa. The girl needed medical attention now. Spinning around, she ordered, "Anna find a doctor, quickly!"

In no mood to be questioning Elsa, Anna got on Sven's back, and rode off. Tanya was going to be okay. They were going to save her.

The chirping grew louder, and the bird made from fire soared gracefully down, circling the duo. Elsa stuck out her index finger as a mock perch, invitingly. Yet the bird did not stop for the queen. Like the bird made from ice, it pierced Tanya's body with its beak. Entering inside the form with a flash, it returned to its source.

Tanya's unnaturally cold skin gained a healthy glow, and warmed under Elsa's hand. Slowly two eyelids fluttered open.

"What happened?" The queen could make out the almost audible moan.

"You shouldn't talk right now," Elsa traced the scar on her cheek. "You've been through a lot. Anna's going to find help right now."

"Mhmm," closing her eyes again, Tanya flexed her mouth into a smile. Her heartbeat was back. When Tanya died, she had not used the last of her power. It was spent to revive her. A healing flame. The girl's powers were not intended for death. Instead they were meant to bring life and vitality.

From the cinders, a gentle glow appeared next to Tanya, which made a beautiful melody. Poking its small head out, scanning the area, was the firebird. _No_, it wasn't the firebird, at least not the one Elsa had fought against. This one appeared to be a chick, though fully capable of stretching its wings.

"It was reborn, just like the stories have told," Tanya whispered.

With another peep, the resurrected firebird zoomed out of the ashes, high into the sky. Soaring in the sky across the city, dust fell off its long tail feathers. Immediately at contact, it miraculously doused all surrounding embers and fires, putting them out. Beneath her knees, a shifting was felt below. Small peeks of green grew between the cracks of the courtyard floor. Plants and foliage sprung up from the ground, spreading all over the city. It covered the rubble in a layer of emerald green. The heavy air dispelled making it easier to breathe.

It was if they suddenly were transported into another world.

"It's beautiful," Tanya arced her head. "I never thought the firebird was capable of giving life. The prophecy was not only a prison not only to me, but to it as well."

"And now you can both live the lives you were meant to. In peace." Elsa smiled big which smudged the coal on her face, and brushed Tanya's hair back.

Disregarding Elsa's suggestion to rest, Tanya wrapped both arms around the queen's neck. She pulled herself up, and buried her face into the nook of the light blonde's bare shoulder. Their fingers intertwined, and could feel each other's heartbeats. Elsa was so thankful for that. Never had the queen felt this degree of love and sadness at the same time. She had lost a friend and her life was a complete mess. But she had met the love of her life, and discovered herself in the process. And she was overwhelmed.

Red lips kissed the top of the princess' forehead, and Elsa closed her eyes. She loved her, so much.


	20. Chapter 20 - Home

"Finally home."

It was the first thing she said all morning. Elsa let out a sigh of relief. Even though only a few weeks had passed, it felt like ages. So much had happened in a short amount of time, and she was still processing it. Though nothing had changed in regards to Arendelle's appearance, everything somehow felt different. Maybe something had changed. Perhaps it was her.

The courtyard gates were open, like always. Even when she disappeared, it looked like her laws still stood intact. After she ended the eternal winter last year, the queen decreed the gates should always stay open to the public. This decision played out well, and greatly boosted the citizen's approval of her. Commenters stated, the people now felt much more connected to their monarchs, therefore unified as a kingdom. Arendelle culture was shaped because of the new law as well. This helped establish Elsa as the correct ruler to the throne, who was there for the people. After her own disappearance, she fretted that her respect would not last. Now that she was back home, that would be revealed rather soon.

Brushing her fingertips along the grooves of the tall castle doors, the queen stood against the entryway. She was actually here again, back to the people she was surrounded by, back to her responsibilities. Now that Elsa was back, there would definitely be no break in sight, as she would immediately be swamped. After all that had happened back at Aldyn, she needed a day off. Or a week.

"Home…" The former princess of Aldyn stood at Elsa's side. "You didn't have to take me in you know."

"I'm not _taking _you in. You were invited to live with me, since the first time you came here. Remember?"

"I suppose, although the first time was pretty much forced by my parents," Tanya joked around. "Never would I have thought Arendelle's queen would be so intriguing." A smirk grew on her face.

"Oh cut it out," the blue eyed girl was blushing now. "You'll see soon just how boring I can be, once I'm bombarded with royal duties."

"I highly doubt I will. Queen or no, there has always been more to you than meets the eye."

"I also don't have my ice powers anymore."

"And my fire powers disappeared as well. But you still insisted that I stick around, even after then." The ash haired girl chuckled.

Elsa's eyebrows scrunched in a serious way. "What are we going to do about it now? Arendelle doesn't know that I no longer have my powers. Ever since their acceptance of them, the citizens always viewed them as a source of stability and protection."

"Go on with our lives, and learn to live without them I guess?"

The blonde queen continued. "My whole life was shaped because of my powers. I am who I am because of them. Now that they're gone forever, it feels as if a piece of me has vanished as well, never to be found again." Elsa choked up.

"Listen to me," Tanya placed both hands on each of Elsa's shoulders, making the older woman face her. "This is extremely hard for me as well. Though I was never in your exact place, I of all people can relate to what you're going through. There's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to accept it, and move on together. We'll relearn how to live, without our powers constantly influencing us. We'll do it together."

Elsa's love for Tanya was stronger than any fear of the future she had. She nodded at the younger girl in reply. "Might I give you an official tour of the castle, since last time it never happened?"

"That sounds great."

* * *

><p>Earlier that morning while it was still dark, Elsa, Tanya, Anna, and Sven arrived back at the castle. Everyone was expecting their return, since the queen sent a letter of their return a week prior. Of course, Kristoff who readily anticipated reuniting with his fiancé, was waiting for them right inside. As soon as Anna noticed Kristoff slouching on a couch half asleep, she called his name. That shook the royal ice harvester out of his sleepy trance, and he bounded for the redhead. He swept her off her feet, and spun her around before putting her down. They hugged, and Anna gave him a kiss.<p>

"I missed you so much while we were away. I feel bad the whole trip took longer than expected."

"You don't need to apologize to me, I'm just you're back," he responded.

Sven nuzzled in between the duo, jealously, seeking solely Kristoff's attention.

"Hey there Sven, I've missed you too," he was taken by surprise when the reindeer licked his face. "Yup, you must have really missed me."

"We all did," Anna included. "This may be the longest duration of time we've been split apart, since we first met last year. And where to begin! So many things happened that you wouldn't believe! I'm not sure how to explain it all at once.

"Same here, there's something I need to tell you and Elsa. It happened while you both were away."

"I am interested in hearing about it Kristoff," Elsa piped in. "But it's very early, and I can guess we are all very tired. Let's say we retire for the night, and discuss everything in the morning in my office."

"Eh," Kristoff yawned at the thought of sleep. "Well I'm not going to complain over that notion."

"Sounds perfect. Before we all retire, I would like to formally introduce you to Tanya," Elsa nudged Tanya's hand.

"I've heard many things about you," Elsa heard the princess speak. "It's wonderful to finally meet you," she hesitated, "I also want to apologize to you for the trouble I brought here."

"I'm just glad you're all back. But I do appreciate your apology all the same," Kristoff crossed his arms, and looked around. "Wait a second, everyone is not back. Where's Olaf?"

The three girls all looked at each other. Elsa did not know how to break it to the blond man. "We'll also talk about that tomorrow," she said with a sorrowful twinge. Olaf had melted because she sacrificed her powers in order to stop the firebird. It was her fault that he was no longer around, just like countless others. But as much as she admitted her actions and missed her happy friend, she had to live in the present. For herself, her family, Arendelle, and Tanya. If there was a way to turn back time and find an alternate solution to the situations, Elsa would in a heartbeat.

Kristoff gave an understanding look. "_Oh._ Well, I think I'm going to put Sven in his stable for the night. He deserves a goodnight's sleep, and a bucket load of carrots." The reindeer's mouth drooled at the mention of his favorite food.

"I think I'll go with Kristoff," Anna said, taking his hand. "I'll see you both in the morning," the freckled girl hugged Elsa, and smiled at Tanya. After the engaged couple went outside to the stables, Elsa grabbed Tanya's hand. "Now that the servants delivered our belongings to our rooms, we should follow suit. Don't you think?"

Tanya stretched her side out, and Elsa heard something crack. "You have no idea. I am going to sleep for an eternity."

"Please don't."

"I'm just kidding. I'd miss you too much in that eternity."

"You are such a sap."

"And you are never?" Tanya raised one eyebrow.

"Not when I've had no rest."

"So what you're saying then is yes."

"It's too early for this," Elsa groaned, yet slightly amused.

The queen led Tanya up to the bedroom that was originally set and reserved for the princess. She went in, half-heartedly inspecting the cleanliness and making sure everything was in order. Tanya let her know it was definitely suitable, and the queen hugged the girl before she went into her own chambers.

After her parent's passing, Elsa inherited their bedroom. Most pieces of furniture were swapped out, primarily to aid in erasing her feelings of nostalgia. She had a custom, high quality bed made right there in Arendelle, as well as the rest of her furniture. Knowing that most royals liked to buy exotic household items from other countries, the queen rather preferred to support her kingdom's economy directly whenever she could. There were several imports that were native only to specific countries and regions, which Elsa built strong trading ties with.

After she slipped into her blue nightgown and crawled in bed for half an hour, there was a knock on the door. Confused she went over and reached for the handle.

_For goodness sake, who's knocking on my door at this hour?_

Creaking open the door and opening it slightly ajar, the queen looked to see who it was. Fortunately it was none of the servants, but just Tanya.

"Hey," Elsa rubbed an eye. The door blocked most of Elsa from the teal eyed girl's view. What did she need?

"I can't sleep. Everything is too still."

The queen opened the door, and gestured the girl to come in. They both sat down at the edge of Elsa's bed.

"Sorry for waking you up like this. It's just that we've been on the road for so long, that it feels unnatural to come back to a place where everything is peaceful and quiet. I'm sure after a few days the feeling will wear off."

Don't worry, you didn't wake me up. I couldn't sleep either. It does feel a bit strange being back in Arendelle," the queen looked at Tanya with her topaz blue eyes.

"Is it okay if I spend just tonight with you?" Tanya blushed, to the point. "I don't really want to be alone."

"I suppose that's fine with me," Elsa said, now blushing as well. How could she refuse that face?

They got under the covers, both girls resting on their stomachs. Elsa had only shared a bed with one other person which was her sister, and even then they were just children. This was an entirely different situation. If someone were to enter her chambers and discover the both of them sleeping in the same bed, it could be interpreted as promiscuous behavior, which Elsa wanted to avoid at all costs. No one usually came into her chambers during nighttime, and if her presence was required, usually there would be a knock on the door first. This all made her anxious. How was she supposed to sleep now?

But Tanya was already out like a light next to her, sleeping soundly. She looked comparably angelic. Seeing the princess' tranquil face, reminded Elsa of when she watched her passed out on the pirate ship. Though she was poisoned and probably hallucinating a bit, her recollection of that memory did not change. Her cheeks grew rosy, and she reached out, stroking Tanya's cheek with her thumb. Baba Yaga's words helped Elsa recognize how the princess would continuously bring her back to the present. It was something she was thankful for and would never take for granted.

Her eyes slowly drooped, and sleep finally caught up to her.

* * *

><p>"Wow, you weren't kidding about it being a lot to take in."<p>

It was now the next day in the afternoon, and Elsa explained the whole story to Kristoff from the start. There were several parts where Anna piped in, to share where she was at during the timeline of events. Elsa managed to keep the conversation on track, bringing Anna's rambling back around. Tanya did not speak much. Only to confirm or to correct details. After they finished sharing their encounter with the firebird and the loss of their powers and Olaf, Kristoff was wide eyed.

"Let me get this straight. The both of you no longer have your magic, and Olaf melted once Elsa could no longer control ice?"

"That's how it seems," Elsa replied. "His existence and survival was connected to my magical abilities. Naturally when they went away… he did as well." It stung to say his name.

"Is there anyway the both of you can get your powers back, and revive him?" Kristoff questioned.

"It's not like that. We can't just _get them back_. We were born with our powers, we didn't _learn_ them," Tanya said frustrated.

"Kristoff didn't know," said Elsa calmly to her. It was never explained to the ice harvester how Elsa's powers even came to be, until now. He obviously asked from a place of caring and concern. Kristoff was not the malicious type. But Tanya also just met Kristoff, and was still getting to know his character.

"I suppose that idea is ruled out then," he replied in understanding.

"So what do you plan on doing now?" Anna asked. "You're no longer the 'Snow Queen of Arendelle,' and it's not a title you can just pretend to be. You'd have to constantly prove to the people your powers, which you can no longer produce. They will want their winter snow festivals, courtyard ice rinks, and ice sculptures. Not to mention our stable ice trade is not as stable."

"I plan on making an announcement later today, before this evening. I'll prepare something to say, find Kai and Gerda who are somewhere around this castle, and have the word be spread around the city."

Kristoff looked down. Something was wrong. He knew something that she did not. "Actually, that's what I need to talk to you all about." Kristoff's story was shorter than Elsa and Anna's, and strictly to the point. Pausing at the end, he appeared stressed out. "… and it was before you came back when I received news that Aldyn collapsed. However I didn't know how that happened. That's when the general summoned the guards back to the castle. It was my suggestion to have them posted at the borders in the first place, in order to prevent any sort of assault from Aldyn."

"Kai… I will see to him at once!" But before Elsa stood up in a fury from betrayal, she looked down at Tanya, who was clearly distressed.

"I can't believe it, that my own scummy brother would think of taking Arendelle, in order to follow some silly conquest dream of his." She did not look Elsa, Kristoff, or Anna in the eyes.

"Anton was power-hungry and selfish. Not only were that, but the people of Aldyn readily followed him. Although, they did have no awareness of Aldyn uniting with Frelliya, until the city was raided," Elsa added, putting a hand on her shoulder. "His actions don't reflect who you are."

"Do you think it was a wise decision, to submit the throne to Frelliya?" Anna asked her sister.

But Tanya answered. "I've met Frelliya's prince on multiple occasions, during meetings. Our parents would always try to put us together, and truthfully were probably planning an arranged marriage. He… can be trusted. The prince is nothing like his father at all, a very humble guy. After what my family did to Aldyn, there's no way they would accept me as queen. Aldyn is not as forgiving as Arendelle. I wish it was the other way around."

"But it was not your fault at all! It was Anton's, and the firebird's."

"I was still inside of it, when it created the inferno. Though I hardly had any control, I could feel my life force draining. My own energy from simply existing fueled it. Whether I wanted it to happen or not, it was partially my fault as well. No princess that assists in destroying their kingdom is fit to rule. It is best with my family's rule ending, that Aldyn may have a new beginning. This is why I forfeited the throne, and discarded my title as princess of Aldyn. Now I could be called a duchess, I'm still a princess by birth."

"What's done is done," Elsa stated. "There's nothing we can do about that matter. But there is something I can do about more current matters, first namely Kai," the queen stood again. "I will go speak to him in his cell, before finding Gerda to discuss my announcement. The sooner things are settled, the better," the blonde spoke in a practical way.

"I'll come with you," Kristoff spoke, "to Kai's cell."

"That's fine with me. You certainly have a right to."

"Oh be careful!" Anna exclaimed.

"Don't worry, he's all chained up. He can't even touch us," Kristoff reassured his fiancé.

Elsa was very upset. Kai of all people, betrayed Arendelle's royal family. But for what reason? He was not a dim-witted man. His intelligence and precise decision-making was why he was originally given his position. It would not be long before she found out.

Maybe they should have taken Anna's concern seriously.

* * *

><p>"Woah what are you doing?!" Kristoff put himself before Elsa in a protective stance, since the queen no longer had her powers.<p>

She was thankful the royal ice harvester asked to come along with her to Kai's cell. A guard whom Kristoff seemed to recognize was posted outside at the side of the door. At the sight of the duo, he instantly became distraught. Kristoff whispered to Elsa that he was still new, and anxious about messing up. Especially in front of the queen. When access was requested, he immediately granted them entrance inside, unlocking the door.

"You are in deep trouble Kai, so start explaining now." Elsa was in no mood to waste her time on anyone who attempted murder on one of her family members. Pointing a finger, she cut to the chase. "I promise if you refuse to talk or ever try this again, I will freeze over this whole cell and you with it." It was an empty threat, but the former advisor did not know that. He saw what the queen's magic was capable of, and witnessed it firsthand on many occasions. Kai was smart, but could be persuaded if threatened. It was the first tactic the queen decided to use, though somewhat low class.

"Didn't the ice harvester tell you everything?" Kai was shaking.

"He told me enough for me to know you belong in here, for quite some time."

"So what am I to explain?"

"_Why_ you risked your position to try and assassinate Kristoff. He told me all about how you are indirectly related to the royal family, which I knew since becoming queen. Though we were thrown in a very unfortunate situation, I believe very well you knew Anna and I would be back. We have traveled before, albeit during shorter periods of times. As for colluding with Aldyn, I already knew we had intel planted in the city. I placed them there, once I received the letter from their King and Queen. As silly as it might sound, I went on a gut instinct, and ordered scouts to strictly watch and report to _me_."

"They weren't aware of who they were reporting to, and weren't involved. I had the notes from the carrier pigeons forwarded directly to me. They were loyal to their job, as well as I.

"You are not loyal to Arendelle, in the least bit." Elsa was doing all the talking, while Kristoff stayed back.

"That's where you are wrong my queen," there was spite in his words. "Didn't Kristoff mention something else? A name perhaps?"

Elsa gave a slamming look to Kristoff, which said it all.

"He did mention there was another heir to Arendelle's throne, one before him."

How did she not know of this before? She went through all her family records, and besides Kai, there was no other relative.

"I didn't believe him, what he said sounded like crazy talk!" Kristoff continued, a tad defensively.

"No, he's not crazy," Elsa coolly replied. "He has an alternate objective. So what's the name?"

Before either man could reply, the door to the cell entrance creaked shut. A distinct clicking sound indicated the door was now locked from the inside.

"It's Balder."

It was the voice of the young sentry which guarded Kai's cell.

_"Woah what are you doing?!"_

It was back to the present moment. Kristoff stepped in front of Elsa, as he was much larger than she. The guard held a spear in one hand, and on his belt, a sheathed sword was equipped. Suddenly this thin, lanky man seemed more intimidating.

"Doesn't sound familiar? Didn't think so," the grip on his spear didn't sway.

"Explain what this man won't," Elsa urged the armed man to talk. By 'man' she was referring to Kai.

"Figures that I have to explain to Arendelle's queen. My name is Balder, and if you've never heard of it before, that completely makes sense. After all, my uncle did try to eradicate any mention of my name or my mother's throughout the castle. My uncle was your father, making us cousins. Where should I begin, oh once upon a time a prince was born who was Arendelle's rightful heir. But because a jealous uncle threatened his life as an infant, his mother fled with him to a neighboring kingdom. There they lived as foreigners, and he never learned of his heritage until someone from Arendelle scouted him," Balder made indicative eye contact with Kai. "This man was the only one who remembered my existence."

"How am I to believe you?" Elsa folded her arms. "Where is your proof?"

Digging in a pocket, he pulled out an object, and flashed it to the group. Engraved was Arendelle's royal crest. "See this? This medallion belonged to our grandfather, which was given to my mother after his passing."

Elsa never saw it before in her life. She couldn't help but believe Balder was telling the truth. He was too riled up to be lying.

"My mother's name was Frigg, and younger sister to your father. We were born just days apart, you being on the winter solstice and me just a few days before. Our parents were in a predicament. You were born to the current king on the throne, but I was the first male heir. Just days after being born you showed signs of your ice powers, and the king and queen heavily considered not having a second child. They both knew that once we grew up, I would be the primary candidate, as prince and firstborn. There was just one thing obstacle. My mother had me out of wedlock. My very existence was not planned!" Balder shouted rather loudly, and Elsa flinched. "My life was brought forth from a scandal, which brought shame to Arendelle's line. Your father," he sniffed, "was ashamed of me and my mother, and after several threats, we ran away." Balder dropped his spear and it clanged to the ground. He covered his face with both hands, hiding his now reddened eyes.

Riskily moving towards him, Elsa started to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Let's talk about this somewhere else, like my office." They needed to get out of this locked space.

"No."

She pulled her arm back and clutched it.

"You and your sister Anna are unfit to rule, as well as your royal ice harvester over there. It was especially evident, after your out of the blue disappearance. Not only that, but you didn't bother communicating your plans with the people in the castle, who ran the kingdom in your stead. Is it true that right after your coronation, you almost destroyed Arendelle with an eternal winter? I bet no one dared to dethrone you, after it was dispersed. Kai, Arendelle's royal advisor, discovered the truth and treachery in our family's history soon after you both left. Correctly so, he explained everything in a long, detailed letter, and summoned me here. You see, Kai's not insane, and definitely not disloyal to the throne. He was trying to correct it. We were first going to get rid of Kristoff using an untraceable method, and pronounce you both deceased during your travels. My official return to Arendelle would be pronounced, once a pursuit for a suitable ruler took place. We made a grave mistake in underestimating your ice harvester."

"Watch it," Kristoff retaliated.

"What our parents did is in the past. I am the rightful ruler of Arendelle, and am currently its queen. It would be false for me to say I haven't messed up, but I love my people and would give my life for them, like how I almost did in Aldyn. You have no right to infiltrate the castle, plot murder, and demand I step down from the throne."

"I'm not demanding it. I'm forcing it," Balder unsheathed his sword, and picked up his spear in his left hand. Unshed tears were in his eyes. He pointed both weapons at the duo. "Truthfully I don't want to do this, but the throne belongs to me." Those strong words did not reflect his weak appearance, caused by emotion.

"Then don't do it. You have a choice Balder. You control your own fate." She needed to stop this now. If only she still had her powers. As far as her cousin knew, she still had them. _Wait._

She moved forward again, stretching her fingers, pointing both hands at him. Balder still advanced towards them, hesitating at her stance. "I'm not afraid of your magic Elsa."

No luck. There was no chance they could get away. Though he was smaller in proportion to Kristoff, he had a significant advantage. The queen knelt to the ground and locked eyes with Balder. "Fine. Do it. Get rid of me, if you are not having any hesitations."

"Elsa..?" Kristoff said, completely confused now.

Her cousin stopped, with growing eyes.

"If you try to kill me, you will only repeat what my father attempted. You know, he failed me as well. But I also believe that people are capable of change."

"No," Balder was talking to himself now. "I've traveled this far, this close. No more doubting yourself Balder. I have to do this. This is what's best for Arendelle," he raised his sword preparing a death blow, and Elsa closed her eyes.

The smell of black smoke which wafted under his nose caught him abruptly. "What in blazes…"

"Blazes is right! And if you lay a hand on the queen, you will face my wrath!" The locked door busted down in front of them, aflame. Tanya stood on top of it. "I'm sure you've heard of me, the princess who burned all of Aldyn to a crisp. I will have no problem doing the same to you." Her teal eyes burned, and the former princess looked downright petrifying.

Balder's demeanor changed drastically, and turned to face the ash haired girl. "Oh please, I beg you, spare me! I wasn't going to kill the queen, I was only going to render her unconscious! I-" But he never had an opportunity to finish. A single blow to the head with Kristoff's fists was all it took to knock him to the ground cold.

"Elsa, are you alright?" Tanya ran over and lifted up the queen in an embrace.

"Neither of us were hurt, thanks to you. But… your powers!"

"Those weren't my powers," Tanya said with a conniving grin. "I had some help." She did a thumb over her shoulder motion, and Elsa looked behind her. Both Anna and Sven stood at the open doorway. Voices could be heard conversing with Anna. Guards had arrived, bringing buckets of water to drown the flames. "Anna, Sven, and I heard everything. We used a torch to burn the door, Sven to knock it down, and my great intimidation skills to do the rest. While I was talking, Anna and Sven went to nab the guards."

"Hey thanks for saving us," Kristoff said. "Even though we just met, I'm sure glad you were around."

"Wait, I know who that is!" Anna interrupted, as she came over. "Sven, Olaf, and I passed him on the road while looking for you. He seemed pretty weird. And to think he could have tried doing the same with us, our own cousin who we've never even met. What a horrible way to greet family."

"Not on my watch," Kristoff took Anna's hand protectively.

"What are you going to do about him?" Tanya turned to Elsa.

"For now, chain him up and throw him in a cell," the guards had just finished putting out the door, and were listening to Elsa's judgement. They handcuffed both arms behind his back, and hurled him away. "I will discuss matters with Arendelle's council tomorrow, and have a meeting scheduled." She dusted her hands off. "It's best we let the guards handle this mess. I'm sure they are confident of what to do."

A stunned Kai yelled at the queen, as they all exited. "You are betraying Arendelle, your own family! None of you are qualified to be part of the royal family!"

Elsa wanted to speak back to Kai, but restrained herself. Nothing said would matter to the former advisor. She did not want to betray her own family, and felt partially sympathetic to Balder. In the meeting tomorrow, she would advocate that he only get prison time, and possibly community service. None of this was to leave the counsel. Because the young man was conflicted about ending the queen's life, showed that they could work something out. The queen would visit her cousin as many times it took, in order to mend family bonds. Though her father was strict and hid her away, Elsa did not think he would do something so awful. But like she said to Balder, people change. Though the king had plotted against her aunt and nephew, Elsa could not judge his entire character based on it. She had made grave mistakes herself, which she thought about every day. In other word's she was no better, although she learned from them.

_Did my father ever regret his actions? Was he ever remorseful? _She would never know. But the least Elsa had a chance to make things right.

* * *

><p>Later before that evening, the queen announced with great sadness to her people, of how her ice powers disappeared. Rather than becoming upset, they responded compassionately with understanding. Thankful, Elsa promised that it would not prevent the winter festival from taking place later that year, a large attraction which drew many kingdoms together. She hoped that no one would pity her, as she was not the kind of person to accept it from others.<p>

The stars were out now, and the sky clear. A warm breeze announced autumn's early arrival, and the roses were just beginning to bloom. Elsa could predict their colors from the petals which peaked out. Tanya was with her, both enjoying their walk in the garden.

"This really is lovely Els."

"The roses bloom twice a year, once in the spring and in the fall. Luckily you're here to watch them start again. The fragrance becomes much stronger and divine." The full moon's light fell illuminated the area, giving both girls a glow.

"There's something I want to talk to you about."

A ping in Elsa's chest hypothesized what it could be. "Same, let's sit down at the bench." It was the same bench Elsa rested on, after hearing of Tanya's existence. There was someone like her.

The queen was going to speak first. "Tanya."

"Yeah?" She shook out of her distracted state.

"You said you wanted me back in Aldyn. What did you mean by that?"

"That I… um…" Tanya stumbled on her words, and Elsa took both of her hands.

"I'm tired of withholding my feelings. I don't just want you. I am deeply in love with you, and I want to be with you. We can make it work. I realize it's a bit unheard of, and that others might not understand. But what other people think is not what ultimately matters."

Tanya sat in silence, unlike her, teal eyes glittering.

"Are we… not on the same page?" Elsa said nervously.

"Sorry Elsa, I was trying to think of the right words to say. It's more difficult for me to express. I-I knew that from the very beginning, when we met at the ball. When you came into the room, you were the first person I noticed, even though we hadn't met. When you sat down next to me, your whole aura shone through. Right away I knew something felt different, something unexplainable, because it was so foreign. And then in the dungeon that's when I figured out how much I love you."

A sensation of ecstasy hit Elsa hard, and the queen intertwined their fingers. "Let's always be together Tanya. I don't care what anyone says or thinks about it. Anna is already aware of my feelings, and she supports me regardless of who I cherish. If she can accept it, maybe the people of Arendelle can as well. So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm asking for your hand."

"In marriage?"

"I-If we can ever make it happen, yes."

Tanya lunged at the queen in a tight bear hug. "Yes! I mean, I do?" The former princess laughed with a new joy. "I couldn't endure running from my feelings for you much longer."

"That's a relief," Elsa poked in a joke.

She continued, "You bring out my best, gave everything you had when I couldn't save myself. You carried me out of my dungeon. Since the beginning, you always had faith and never gave up on me. I've fallen so in love with you."

Tanya held Elsa's face with both hands, not holding back. When their lips met, they both quivered at contact, and melted into each other's arms. Was it even possible to feel this much at once? The girl's arms hold felt like home. Elsa moved one hand to direct her chin, the other in the girl's lap. With each passing moment, her mind turned completely fuzzy, and could not think. All her being was focused on kissing Tanya, showing the girl exactly how much she loved her. Until now, she had no clue a feeling like this existed in the world, that something could feel so right. Tanya slowly pulled her soft lips away, grazing against the queen's in the process. When Tanya smiled, it was beautiful. It was right.

They held each other in their arms, foreheads pressed against each other. Their noses barely touched, and gazed tenderly in each other's eyes.

"So where do we go from here?" Tanya whispered under her breath.

"Wherever life takes us."

Neither girl knew about the many adventures they would experience in the future, nor of the countless years they shared, up into their old age. But since that first day they met, the fire they felt for each other never faded.

* * *

><p><strong>NOTE: Thank you all so much for your support and reviews of Playing with Fire. Your encouragement really helped me finish editing this story. This final chapter was supposed to be much shorter, but I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing. ;) I love every single one of you! <strong>


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